F1 teenage Kimi Antonelli in TEARS after landing his first ever win at Chinese Grand Prix

Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Australia, 2026 — Photo: © IMAGO

Chinese Grand Prix

F1 teenage star in TEARS after landing his first ever win

There's wasn't a dry eye in Shanghai

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Sunday 15 March 2026 10:09

F1 teenager Kimi Antonelli stormed to his first race win at the Chinese Grand Prix and his teary reaction was felt by everyone.

The Mercedes star took pole position on Saturday ahead of team-mate George Russell, and after some tasty opening lap battles with the Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton, managed to regain the lead of the race.

When the top three assembled after Sunday's race, the 19-year-old was left speechless when he was asked to reflect on his first F1 win by David Coulthard.

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Instead, he became teary eyed as he was given a squeeze by his team-mate and congratulated Hamilton, who finished second and third respectively.

Antonelli said: "I’m speechless. I’m about to cry to be honest. Thank you so much to my team. They helped me to achieve this dream."

After Russell and Hamilton had delivered their interviews, he gave his powerful first words as a winner, and said: "I said yesterday I really wanted to bring Italy back on top and we did it today.

"Even though I gave myself a little bit of a heart attack towards the end with a bit of a flat spot, but it was a good race."

Wolff, Hamilton and Russell react to Antonelli race win

Speaking after the race, Russell added: "Huge congratulations to Kimi because it’s always very special to win your first race, and he’s been driving really amazing this year and this weekend especially.

"I’m pleased to be standing on the podium with him, and also with this guy [Hamilton] as well."

Hamilton, who shared the podium with friend and Antonelli's race engineer Peter Bonnington, was clearly emotional himself at the Italian's win and offered sincere congratulations.

Hugging Antonelli as soon as they jumped out of their cars, Hamilton then said in his post-race interview: "Firstly, I have to say a huge congratulations to Kimi. I’m so, so happy for you buddy, and I’m so honoured to be able to share this moment with him.

"He took my seat at this great team, so a big congratulations to Mercedes. They’re really pulling ahead at the moment, and we’ve got a lot of work to do to try to keep up."

Mercedes Kimi Antonelli Chinese Grand Prix