Kimi Antonelli's F1 victory: Star ignored George Russell order at Chinese GP

Kimi Antonelli, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton looking serious at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Kimi Antonelli's F1 victory: Star ignored George Russell order at Chinese GP

Antonelli and Russell have both picked up a grand prix win in 2026

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Monday 23 March 2026 13:12

An emotional moment for Mercedes F1 star Kimi Antonelli led to orders being ignored at the Chinese Grand Prix last time out.

The Silver Arrows star made history in Shanghai by becoming the youngest grand prix polesitter, but after losing the lead to seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton early on, Mercedes were no doubt wondering if the Italian teenager had what it took to turn his best qualifying result into a race win.

But the 19-year-old managed to do just that, rounding off yet another triumphant weekend for Toto Wolff's F1 team who have become the frontrunners early on in the sport's new regulations era.

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Antonelli and his team-mate George Russell have both taken a grand prix win in the opening two rounds of the F1 2026 campaign, with the Brit leading the drivers' standings and Mercedes sitting at the top of the constructors' championship as a result.

A career-first grand prix win for Antonelli led to an emotional moment in his post-race interview, carried out by former F1 driver and pundit David Coulthard.

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Antonelli tears caused Coulthard dilemma

Speaking in a recent episode of the Up to Speed podcast, Coulthard shed light on what the emotional moment was like interviewing Antonelli after his first race win in China.

The 13-time grand prix winner said: "As an older man, I could feel for him as a young racer.

"He’s only a couple of years older than my son, so I’m looking in my eyes, at a boy. Of course, he’s a man, but he’s a boy-man in my eyes.

"And for him to get away at the beginning of the chat absolutely fine, and then I think he caught his father’s eye behind the barriers, and I think that’s what triggered the tears."

The McLaren legend then revealed that he actively ignored the order from the F1 overlords communicating to him via his earpiece, telling him to move on to Russell's interview segment.

Russell, who finished P2, and Hamilton, who completed the podium in P3, stood watching Antonelli stumble through the interview whilst in floods of tears, with Coulthard revealing: "And I’m getting someone in my ear saying, ‘Move on to George’. But it felt to me that that would have lost that moment."

Explaining his reasoning for ignoring the TV order, Coulthard continued: "It was a beautiful moment, because this is someone who’s a boy-man, realising his dream of being a grand prix winner.

"This could set him on a way towards being one of the youngest ever world champions as well, if he has this continued run, because right now, Mercedes are looking pretty hot."

F1 Mercedes George Russell Kimi Antonelli Chinese Grand Prix David Coulthard