Kimi Antonelli claims maiden Formula One victory at the Chinese Grand Prix
Kimi Antonelli triumphed at the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday, marking his first victory in Formula One and making history as the first Italian driver to win a race in nearly 20 years, reports BritPanorama.
The young Mercedes driver crossed the finish line at the Shanghai International Circuit with a commanding lead of over seven seconds ahead of teammate George Russell. Following the race, Antonelli was greeted by Russell and other drivers who congratulated him on this remarkable achievement.
An emotional Antonelli expressed his gratitude: “I’m speechless. I’m about to cry to be honest. Thank you so much to my team. They helped me to achieve this dream.” His interview was briefly paused as he was overcome with emotion. After regaining his composure, he added, “I said yesterday I really wanted to bring Italy back on top and we did it today. Even though I gave myself a little bit of a heart attack towards the end with a bit of a flat spot, but it was a good race.”
Looking ahead, Antonelli acknowledged the challenge posed by his teammate: “George is an incredible driver, very strong on all aspects, so it’s going to take a lot to beat him. But it’s a great opportunity to be working with him as well because I have been learning a lot from him. Looking forward to the rest of the season now. I always focus race by race so we’ll see where we end up at the end of the year.”
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton secured his first podium finish since joining Ferrari, finishing third in the race. Hamilton was quick to congratulate Antonelli, saying, “I have to say a huge congratulations to Kimi. I’m so, so happy for you buddy, and I’m so honoured to be able to share this moment with him.” Hamilton reflected on his own performance, noting the competitive landscape of the race: “They’re really pulling ahead at the moment, and we’ve got a lot of work to do to try to keep up.”
In total, seven drivers failed to finish the race, including Fernando Alonso who withdrew due to discomfort from vibrations, while Lando Norris, Gabriel Bortoleto, and Alex Albon did not start. As the season progresses, the resilience and ambition displayed by both Antonelli and Hamilton underscore the unpredictable nature of Formula One racing, each driver carving their path in a sport where the stakes and emotions run high.
