Intro
Teenager Antonelli wins Chinese Grand Prix, extending Mercedes’ early season dominance emphatically
Shanghai
Nineteen-year-old Italian driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli produced a calm and confident performance to claim his maiden Formula One victory at the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday, strengthening Mercedes’ commanding start to Formula 1’s new regulatory era.
Starting from pole position at the Shanghai International Circuit in Shanghai, Antonelli briefly lost the lead at the start to Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari. However, the young Italian quickly reclaimed the top spot and maintained control for the remainder of the race.
Over team radio after crossing the finish line, an elated Antonelli celebrated with his crew, shouting: “We did it! We did it!” as cheers erupted from the Mercedes garage.
The victory made Antonelli the second-youngest driver ever to win a Formula One race, behind only Max Verstappen, who famously won the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix at just 18 years old.
Mercedes continued its strong start to the season with another dominant 1-2 finish as Antonelli’s teammate George Russell secured second place after a fierce battle with the Ferrari pair. Hamilton held on to third place, earning his first Grand Prix podium for Ferrari after his high-profile switch to the Italian team.
Russell’s race featured a thrilling multi-lap duel with Hamilton and Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc. The trio traded positions several times before Russell eventually pulled clear, allowing Antonelli to stretch his lead at the front.
Leclerc finished fourth, while Oliver Bearman delivered an impressive drive for Haas in fifth. Pierre Gasly took sixth for Alpine, followed by Liam Lawson in seventh for Racing Bulls. Isack Hadjar recovered from an early spin to finish eighth for Red Bull.
Further back, Carlos Sainz Jr. placed ninth for Williams, while Franco Colapinto secured tenth for Alpine, earning his first championship point since 2024.
Verstappen’s race ended in disappointment when his car lost power while he was running sixth, forcing the four-time champion to return slowly to the pits — another setback for the Dutch driver, who has been among the most vocal critics of Formula One’s new car regulations.
There was also drama before the race even began as both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were unable to start after separate technical issues struck their McLaren cars minutes before the formation lap.
The race took place hours after Formula One confirmed that the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix scheduled for next month had been cancelled due to the escalating conflict in West Asia.