Racing
© Jonathan Borba
Kimi Antonelli won the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai from pole, completing a pole-win-fastest-lap hat-trick and becoming the second-youngest Formula 1 race winner and the first Italian to win a Grand Prix since 2006.
The 19-year-old Mercedes driver set the tone on Saturday with pole, then had to rescue the lead on Sunday. Lewis Hamilton launched better off the line and edged ahead into Turn 1. Antonelli stayed calm, kept Hamilton within range, and repassed on lap 2 with a clean move to regain control. A safety car on lap 14 reset the field, but Antonelli made a strong restart and eased away from the pack. He managed tire life, set the fastest lap, and opened a gap that held to the flag. A late braking error cost him time, yet he still beat teammate George Russell by more than five seconds, with Hamilton joining them on the podium.
The result completed a rare sweep. Antonelli took pole, won the race, and set the fastest lap, becoming the youngest driver in F1 history to achieve that hat-trick. At 19 years and six months, he also became the second-youngest winner in a world championship Grand Prix. His victory ended a 20-year wait for an Italian race winner, a drought that stretched back to 2006.
For Mercedes, the win supports a long plan. Team principal Toto Wolff backed Antonelli through the junior ranks since 2018. This performance showed why. Antonelli handled a pressure start, a mid-race restart, and the closing laps without losing the lead. The success adds another race winner to Mercedes’ modern era and places a new young name alongside those who have made the step from junior titles to F1 wins.
Wolff urged caution in the aftermath, asking the team and its new winner to stay grounded. The message fit the moment for a teenager now under a brighter spotlight. The team will try to protect his development while it chases more points in a tight season.
There were congratulations across the paddock. Hamilton offered a handshake after the flag and stood on the podium with Russell and Antonelli. Rivals added praise in public. Max Verstappen and Nico Rosberg both welcomed the breakthrough and said the result showed the level Antonelli can reach with time and support. The reactions framed the win as a shared acknowledgment of talent rather than a one-off flash.
Antonelli was emotional after taking the checkered flag. He said the victory felt like the start of more to come. The tone was hopeful, not boastful, as he thanked his team and looked ahead to the next races.
The points picture also shifted. The Shanghai win moves Antonelli to 47 points. That total brings him close to Russell in the standings and marks him out as a genuine contender as the season develops. For Mercedes, a one-two finish strengthened its position and showed progress on both sides of the garage.
The race itself turned on three moments. The first was the start, when Antonelli lost and then quickly regained the lead. The second was the lap 14 restart, where he broke clear and ended any chance of a DRS train forming behind him. The third was his late lock-up, which he corrected without panic. Each moment tested race craft that is still growing. Each one went his way.
Shanghai now sits as Antonelli’s breakout. The win, the fastest lap, and the pole came against proven champions and experienced teammates at a track that punishes mistakes. The record books show a new Italian winner and a teenager at the front. The garage shows a plan paying off, and a driver ready for the next step.