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Winner of the Chinese Grand Prix after a flawlessly executed race, Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured the first victory of his Formula 1 career in just his second outing with Mercedes. Overwhelmed with emotion at the finish line, the Italian savored this historic moment alongside his team, under the emotional gaze of Toto Wolff… and his father.
No sooner had he crossed the line than the Mercedes radio erupted. Kimi Antonelli couldn't hold back. “YES! YES! YES YES YES! We did it, we did it, we did it!”
The rookie has just secured the first victory of his Formula 1 career… in just his second race.
Moments later, as he parks his car on the grid, the emotion is still palpable. “Thank you, you helped me make my dreams come true,” he tells his team.
Antonelli shakes his head in the cockpit, still in disbelief. The scene is symbolic: beside him are George Russell… and Lewis Hamilton, the man whose seat he took at Mercedes this winter.
The Italian then climbs into his car, arms raised toward the sky, before running toward his team to throw himself into the arms of his mechanics. A few seconds later, he hugs his father Marco, before being joined by Russell for a teammate embrace.
“I'm on the verge of tears”
During his interview on the podium, emotion quickly gets the better of him. “I'm speechless… I'm on the verge of tears. A huge thank you to my team because they made this dream come true,” he said, before breaking down, indeed.
Antonelli makes no secret of his pride in bringing this victory to Italy. “I'm so happy. I wanted to bring Italy back to the top.”
The end of the race, however, was no walk in the park. “I almost gave myself a heart attack at the end! But it was a good race.”
The start, however, had been more complicated. “It wasn't an easy start. I covered him a little too much on the inside and gave Ferrari too much room. But the pace was good and we were able to bring the car back.”
Despite this early victory, the young driver is keeping a cool head. “We're continuing to give it our all with Mercedes. It's a great opportunity for me to be alongside George. I'm learning a lot from him and I'm focusing on one race at a time.”
An emotional day for Kimi! 🥹#F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/PnhvRgTxbv
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 15, 2026Toto Wolff: “He controlled the race”
For Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, the emotion was just as palpable. “It was one of the most beautiful moments for me. The three of us together with Bono (Peter Bonnington, Kimi Antonelli's engineer and former engineer to Lewis Hamilton, Ed.) in the middle… he who worked with Lewis for so long and now supports Kimi.”
The Austrian executive admits he was surprised by how quickly the rookie has progressed. “His victory may have come sooner than I imagined. Second race… and bam.”
Above all, Wolff highlights the composure displayed by his driver. “He controlled the race today. His line is even a little better than I thought.”
Before the start, however, Antonelli seemed surprisingly relaxed. “He was calm and cheerful before the race… but on the grid, you see the look in his eyes.” “Bono's” emotion and Hamilton's message
The scene on the podium also held special significance for Peter Bonnington, Antonelli's engineer. For years, “Bono” worked alongside Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. Seeing him on the podium today with his former driver and his new protégé carried deep symbolic weight. “I'm mostly relieved. He gave me a scare with that wheel lockup at the end.”
The British engineer is savoring this rare moment. “Seeing Lewis there with Kimi was an incredible moment—one I'll cherish. It was a bit like reuniting the team. Really special, very touching.”
Lewis Hamilton himself, now a Ferrari driver, was keen to praise his successor's performance. “It's a really special day. Honestly, it's been an incredible week coming here with my mom. Seeing the support I get here is phenomenal.”
The Briton also congratulated the young Italian. “Huge congratulations to Kimi. It's a privilege to see him win. Congratulations to Mercedes. And being on the podium with Bono was very special.”
His father's clear-eyed perspective
In the paddock, Marco Antonelli also watched this historic moment with emotion. “We tried to do our best for our son, but Mercedes did the bulk of the work. I can only say thank you.”
A conversation with Toto Wolff also brought to mind a key moment in the young Italian's career. “Two years ago, I asked him: ‘Is Kimi ready for this seat?' And he replied, ‘I think so.' So I said, ‘Let's do it.'”
The question now is: Is Antonelli ready to become world champion?
His father remains cautious. “I don't know. He's young and he's not perfect. He's a good driver, but George is a great driver with a lot of speed. It will be hard to beat him.”
A clear-eyed response… which in no way detracts from today's achievement. In Shanghai, Andrea Kimi Antonelli has just written the first major chapter of his Formula 1 career. And given the mastery he displayed, this success could very well be just the first in a long series.
