Kimi Antonelli etched his name into Formula One history on Sunday (Mar 15), claiming a maiden victory at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai to become the second-youngest race winner the sport has ever seen.
The 19-year-old Italian crossed the line ahead of Mercedes teammate George Russell, while Lewis Hamilton completed the podium in third marking his first top-three finish since joining Ferrari.
At 19 years, six months and 18 days, Antonelli sits just behind Max Verstappen in the all-time record books. Verstappen had claimed that milestone at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, aged 18 years, seven months and 15 days.
The record-breaking run had already begun a day earlier. On Saturday (Mar 14), Antonelli became the youngest pole-sitter in Formula One history, and he wasted no time turning that grid advantage into a race win.
His path to victory was aided when both McLaren cars failed to start the race in Shanghai. Antonelli did briefly surrender the lead in the opening laps, but once he reclaimed the front position, he managed the race with composure and controlled the field to the chequered flag.
Hamilton made a strong getaway and had seized the lead through the first complex of corners, with Charles Leclerc also launching well off the line and slipping past Russell, who had started second on the grid. The top four exchanged positions on multiple occasions before a safety car on lap 11 drew the leading pack into the pits.
Also Read: Kimi Antonelli Sets New Record In F1 History At The 2026 Chinese Grand Prix
When racing resumed, Antonelli led, with Hamilton in second, Leclerc third, and Russell fourth. By lap 29, Russell had worked his way past both Ferraris to move up to second and began hunting down his young teammate who by that point had built a gap of more than seven seconds.
Leclerc eventually settled for fourth for Ferrari. Four-time world champion Verstappen, meanwhile, continued Red Bull’s troubled start to the new season, being told to retire his car on lap 46.
Antonelli’s win also carries a broader historical footnote — he is the first Italian driver to win a Formula One Grand Prix since Giancarlo Fisichella triumphed at the Malaysian Grand Prix in 2006.
The young Mercedes driver was visibly emotional at the end, moved to tears as the magnitude of the achievement sank in.
Youngest Race Winners in F1 History
| Driver | Age at First Win |
|---|---|
| Max Verstappen | 18 years, 7 months, 15 days |
| Kimi Antonelli | 19 years, 6 months, 18 days |
| Sebastian Vettel | 21 years, 2 months, 11 days |
| Charles Leclerc | 21 years, 10 months, 16 days |
| Fernando Alonso | 22 years, 26 days |
With inputs from agencies
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