Formula 1: Antonelli wins ahead of Russell, Hamilton completes podium

Image credit: Reuters/F1.

Kimi Antonelli produced a remarkable performance to win the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday and become the second youngest race winner in Formula One history. The 19-year-old Mercedes driver controlled the race in Shanghai and took his first Grand Prix victory in spectacular fashion. Antonelli started from pole position and briefly lost the lead to Lewis Hamilton at the start. However, the young Italian quickly regained position and slowly pulled away from the chasing group. Once on the lead, he maintained a steady pace and control throughout the rest of the race. The win is another strong result for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, which finished 1-2. Antonelli’s teammate George Russell finished second after battling with both Ferrari drivers for much of the race. Hamilton completed the podium in third place and secured his first Grand Prix podium for Scuderia Ferrari since joining the team. Antonelli’s victory also makes him one of the youngest winners in the history of the sport. The only driver to win a Formula One race at a young age is Max Verstappen, who took his first win at the age of 18 in 2016. Antonelli also became the first Italian driver to win a Grand Prix since Giancarlo Fisichella achieved the feat in 2006. Behind the top three, Charles Leclerc finished fourth after a tough battle with his Ferrari teammate Hamilton. Oliver Bearman finished an impressive fifth for Haas F1 Team. Further down the order, Pierre Gasly finished sixth for Alpine F1 Team, followed by Liam Lawson seventh for Racing Bulls. Isaac Hadjar recovered from an early start to finish eighth for Red Bull Racing. Carlos Sainz Jr. finished ninth for Williams Racing, while Franco Colapinto completed the top ten for Alpine and scored his first points since 2024. The race proved tough for Verstappen, who was running sixth, but lost power, forcing him to return to the pits. It was another setback for the four-time world champion during a challenging weekend. Meanwhile, both of the McLaren Formula 1 team drivers were unable to start the race. Reigning world champion Lando Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri suffered technical problems shortly before the start of the race, causing them to crash out minutes before the start of the race. Antonelli’s victory represents a significant moment in his young career, especially after early doubts arose when he crashed during the start of Formula One practice in 2024. With this win, the teenager has now established himself as one of the rising stars of the game.