Kimi Antonelli, just 19 years old, claimed his first Formula One victory at the Chinese Grand Prix, converting his historic pole position into a dominant win.
The Italian led home Mercedes teammate George Russell, while Lewis Hamilton secured third place in his debut podium for Ferrari, ending a 477-day wait.
Antonelli briefly lost the lead at the start but regained control and managed the pace, finishing more than five seconds ahead of Russell. Despite a late scare with a lock-up at the hairpin, he recovered smoothly to take the chequered flag. “I’m speechless, I’m about to cry to be honest. Thank you to the team for helping me achieve this dream,” Antonelli said, visibly emotional.
Russell praised his young teammate, calling the win “very special.” The result cuts Russell’s championship lead to just four points. Hamilton, who vacated his Mercedes seat for Antonelli, congratulated the teenager and expressed pride in sharing the podium moment.
Charles Leclerc finished fourth for Ferrari, while Oliver Bearman impressed with fifth for Haas. Pierre Gasly (Alpine), Liam Lawson (RB), Isack Hadjar (Red Bull), Carlos Sainz (Williams), and Franco Colapinto (Alpine) rounded out the top ten.
McLaren endured another nightmare weekend as both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri failed to start due to separate technical issues. Red Bull also suffered, with Max Verstappen retiring on lap 46.
