Kimi Antonelli claims maiden F1 victory in China, leads Mercedes 1-2
Kimi Antonelli won his first Formula 1 race at the Chinese Grand Prix, making him the second youngest winner in history. He led a Mercedes one-two, ahead of teammate George Russell, who secured second despite early challenges. Lewis Hamilton completed the podium in third, marking his first finish with Ferrari.
Kimi Antonelli secured his maiden Formula 1 victory at the Chinese Grand Prix, leading a Mercedes one-two finish ahead of teammate George Russell in a composed performance that confirmed his rapid rise in the sport.
At just 19 years old, Antonelli became the second youngest race winner in Formula 1 history, capping off a weekend in which he had already made headlines by becoming the youngest polesitter on Saturday.
Strong start defines the race
Despite starting from pole position, Antonelli briefly lost the lead at the start when Lewis Hamilton surged past from third on the grid, capitalizing on a strong launch.
However, the Italian responded immediately, reclaiming the lead before the end of the second lap and establishing control of the race from that point forward.
From there, Antonelli managed the pace effectively, maintaining his position through the only pit stop phase of the race, which came under an early Safety Car period.
Mercedes executes clean race strategy
The race was shaped by tyre management and positioning after the Safety Car restart, where George Russell initially struggled for grip and dropped behind the Ferrari drivers during the middle phase of the race.
Russell, who had won the Sprint race on Saturday, recovered well to reclaim second place, ensuring a strong points haul for Mercedes and retaining his position at the top of the Drivers’ Championship standings.
Antonelli remained unchallenged at the front, aside from a late moment where he ran wide at the Turn 14 hairpin with four laps remaining. The mistake proved minor, and he comfortably maintained his advantage to take the chequered flag 5.5 seconds ahead of Russell.
Hamilton secures first Ferrari podium
Lewis Hamilton completed the podium in third place, marking his first Grand Prix podium finish since joining Ferrari.
The result came after a competitive internal battle within the Scuderia lineup, with Hamilton showing strong early pace and briefly leading the race before settling into a consistent rhythm.
The Shanghai circuit continues to hold significance for Hamilton, who also claimed victory in the Sprint race at the same venue during the previous season.
Momentum building for new season contenders
Antonelli’s victory signals a significant moment early in the 2026 Formula 1 season, highlighting Mercedes’ competitiveness and the emergence of a new contender at the front of the grid.
With Russell maintaining championship consistency and Ferrari showing flashes of pace, the early stages of the season point to a tightly contested battle among the leading teams.
