Kimi Antonelli takes first race win in F1

In only his second season in the FIA Formula One World Championship, Andrea Kimi Antonelli is setting records. The Italian teenager took his maiden win at the Chinese Grand Prix in March, then doubled up to win the Japanese Grand Prix.

Making his Formula 1 debut with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team in 2025, Antonelli achieved his first podium finish at that season’s Canadian Grand Prix, with two more podiums at Brazil and Las Vegas. That saw him finish the 2025 Drivers’ World Championship in seventh.

This year, Antonelli started the season by qualifying second behind team mate George Russell for the Australian Grand Prix, then repeated that result in the race.

With the opening round showing the Mercedes-AMG F1 M17 was clearly ahead of other entries under F1’s new rules for 2026, another expression of Mercedes dominance was expected at the Chinese Grand Prix. 

Russell recorded the top time in Free Practise at Shanghai, followed by Antonelli, with the same Mercedes 1-2 in qualifying for the Sprint. In that 19-lap Sprint, Antonelli ultimately finished fourth behind Russell and the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

In qualifying for the main race, 19-year-old Antonelli secured pole, breaking the record for youngest F1 polesitter set by 21-year-old Sebastian Vettel in 2008. In a Grand Prix notable for the non-starts by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, Antonelli proved he wasn’t just satisfied with pole, winning the race and setting the fastest race lap.

Two weeks later at the Japanese Grand Prix, Antonelli became the youngest driver to lead at least one lap, breaking a Verstappen record, with the race win at Suzuka also making him F1’s youngest World Championship points leader. After three rounds, Antonelli sits on 72 points, with Russell on 63 and Leclerc on 49.