Kimi Antonelli secured his first-ever Formula 1 victory at the Chinese Grand Prix, leading teammate George Russell to a dominant Mercedes one-two finish. The 19-year-old Italian delivered a composed drive after briefly losing the lead at the start to Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari, before reclaiming control of the race. With the win, Antonelli became the second-youngest driver in Formula 1 history to claim a Grand Prix victory, just a day after becoming the youngest pole-sitter. Only Max Verstappen, who won the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix at 18, has achieved the feat at a younger age.
KIMI ANTONELLI WINS FOR THE FIRST TIME!! 👏🏆
WHAT A DRIVE! 😮💨#F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/7qIcxU9pss
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 15, 2026
Kimi Antonelli delivered an emotional moment after claiming his maiden Formula 1 victory at the Chinese Grand Prix, struggling to hold back tears during the post-race interview as the scale of the achievement sank in. The 19-year-old led a dominant Mercedes one-two finish ahead of teammate George Russell. Despite finishing second, Russell retained the championship lead, sitting four points ahead of Antonelli after a race affected by an early safety car and position losses during pit stops.
The race also featured an intense intra-team battle at Ferrari between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. The duo repeatedly swapped positions in a thrilling duel during the middle stages of the race, entertaining fans with aggressive overtakes and side-by-side racing. Hamilton ultimately emerged ahead, securing his first podium finish for Ferrari since joining the team last season.
Antonelli briefly lost the lead at the start after Hamilton surged ahead from third on the grid, while Leclerc also made a strong launch. However, the young Mercedes driver quickly fought back and reclaimed the lead on lap two. Russell moved up to second soon after, but a safety car triggered by Lance Stroll’s retirement disrupted strategies. During the pit cycle, Russell lost positions and later struggled with cold tyres on the restart, allowing the Ferraris to move ahead and complicate his race.
Once Russell cleared the Ferrari drivers later in the race, Antonelli had already built a comfortable gap. The teenager controlled the race pace and responded to Russell’s fastest laps, showing remarkable composure under pressure. Despite a late lock-up with three laps remaining, Antonelli held his nerve to cross the finish line 5.5 seconds ahead. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff praised the young driver’s performance, saying the victory had come earlier than expected and highlighting his calm approach throughout the race weekend.
ALSO SEE: Meta Planning Huge Layoffs? Up To 16,000 Jobs At Risk Amid AI Push
