Kimi Antonelli became Formula 1’s second junior champion as he powered Mercedes to victory at the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday.
The 19-year-old Italian was the youngest pole position starter and briefly lost the lead to Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton at the start but retook it shortly afterwards and dominated thereafter.
It was another 1-2 finish for Mercedes to start the season with Antonelli’s teammate George Russell battling both Ferraris to finish second. Lewis Hamilton was third to complete his long-awaited first Grand Prix podium for Ferrari.
The only driver younger than Antonelli to win a Grand Prix was Max Verstappen, who was 18 when he took his first win in 2016.
Formula 1 champion Lando Norris and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri were both unable to start the Chinese Grand Prix after suffering technical problems minutes before the race began.
Piastri was expected to start fifth and Norris sixth for Sunday’s race. Norris was in his car in the pits but did not leave for the grid, before Piastri was removed from the grid following a radio message indicating an electrical problem.
