Emotional Kimi Antonelli explains what his first F1 win means to him

Kimi Antonelli delivered a landmark performance in Shanghai, securing his first Formula 1 victory at the Chinese Grand Prix and becoming the second-youngest winner in the sport’s history.

A breakthrough weekend in Shanghai

Antonelli had already made history on Saturday by becoming the youngest polesitter for a Grand Prix, underlining the scale of his potential. But it was Sunday’s performance that confirmed his arrival as a genuine frontrunner.

Leading almost from start to finish, Antonelli briefly surrendered the lead on the opening lap. In covering team mate George Russell on the inside, he left the door open for the Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton to sweep through from third on the grid. However, Antonelli responded immediately, reclaiming the lead on Lap 2 and asserting control over the race.

Despite a late-race lock-up into the Turn 14 hairpin that left him with a flat spot and a spike in heart rate, the young Italian maintained his composure to take the chequered flag.

“I’m speechless,” Antonelli said after the race. “I’m about to cry, to be honest. Thank you so much to my team, because they helped me to achieve this dream.”

Emotional triumph after early pressure

Antonelli’s rise to Mercedes in 2025 came after just a single season in Formula 2, replacing the departing Lewis Hamilton despite doubts from some critics. His debut campaign proved mixed: a Miami Sprint pole and Grand Prix podiums in Canada and Brazil demonstrated his speed, but a mid-season dip placed him under scrutiny.

The start of 2026, however, has marked a clear shift in momentum. After finishing runner-up at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, Antonelli carried that form into China with a commanding display that rarely looked under threat.

“I’m super happy,” he added. “I said yesterday I really wanted to bring Italy back on top and we did today, even though I gave myself a little bit of a heart attack towards the end with the flat-spot. It was a good race.”

The victory also carries historical significance. Antonelli becomes the first Italian driver to win a Grand Prix in more than 20 years, since Giancarlo Fisichella’s triumph at the 2006 Malaysian Grand Prix.

Composure beyond his years

Reflecting on the crucial opening moments, Antonelli acknowledged the fine margins that shaped the early lead change.

“It was not an easy start. Probably I covered a bit too much on the inside and gave too much room to the Ferrari. At the end the pace was good and we managed to bring it home.”

In just his second full Formula 1 season, Antonelli has now combined raw speed with race-day control. Shanghai may prove to be the moment his potential crystallised into something far more substantial: a driver capable of converting opportunity into victory on the sport’s biggest stage.