‘Here we go Kimi... victory!’

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Amid the emotional celebrations after Kimi Antonelli crossed the finish line at the Shanghai International Circuit, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff delivered a message to the doubters – clear, direct, and unmistakable.

“‘He’s too young. We shouldn’t put him at Mercedes. Put him in a smaller team. He needs the experience. Look at the mistakes he makes. ‘Here we go Kimi... victory!’”

For the first time in 504 days, the Italian national anthem echoed around the grandstands – and this time, it wasn’t Ferrari that prompted the Fratelli d’Italia.

Antonelli, the youngest driver ever to convert pole position into a race win, stood beaming between his teammate George Russell and the man whose seat he inherited, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Foundations

To say this triumph was a long time in the making would be inaccurate. No one expected the 19-year-old to start winning races. However, the groundwork was laid in 2024, when Hamilton opted to leave Mercedes for Ferrari. Wolff later admitted he had not hesitated to identify Antonelli as the racing legend’s preferred successor.

“I made up my mind (about promoting Antonelli) five minutes after Lewis Hamilton told me he was going to Ferrari. Obviously, we were discussing other options, and obviously, the Max (Verstappen) idea couldn’t be discounted completely, looking at what happened at Red Bull. But instinctively, this is the line-up that I always wanted,” he had then told reporters.

So for Mercedes, this victory represents the culmination of years of investment. Antonelli was first identified in April 2019, while still racing in karting. Rapid progression has long defined his career. He won the Formula Regional European Championship in 2023. Rather than following the conventional route through Formula 3, he advanced directly to Formula 2 while simultaneously completing private Formula 1 tests across circuits including Austria, Imola, Silverstone, Barcelona, and Spa-Francorchamps.

Dominant win

On Sunday at the Chinese Grand Prix, Antonelli reinforced why Mercedes entrusted him with a top seat. In a remarkable qualifying performance, he claimed pole position – becoming the youngest pole-sitter in F1 history – outpacing Russell by 0.222 seconds.

Kimi Antonelli attends a press conference at the Shanghai International Circuit on Sunday. | Photo Credit: AFP

Shanghai’s long back straight places a premium on clean air and tyre management. Starting from pole offers a crucial strategic advantage, particularly in controlling pace and pit windows.

When the lights went out, however, Ferrari responded as expected. Hamilton briefly snatched the lead, while Charles Leclerc overtook Russell. Antonelli, undeterred, reclaimed first place on lap two and prevented rivals from dictating strategy. From there, he controlled the race with maturity beyond his years. His only notable error came late on, when he locked up under braking and ran slightly wide. For a brief moment, Russell appeared poised to capitalise — but the mistake proved inconsequential. Antonelli crossed the line unchallenged.

This was his defining moment, the realisation of a teenage dream. His emotion on the podium said everything.

“I’m speechless. I’m about to cry, to be honest. But yeah, thank you so much to my team because they helped me achieve this dream. I’m super happy. I said yesterday that I really wanted to bring Italy back on top, and we did today. Even though I gave myself a little bit of a heart attack towards the end with a flat spot, it was a good race.”

Two races into the new season and a pair of Mercedes’ 1-2s only strengthens early predictions: this year’s title fight is going to be an intra-Mercedes battle.

Hamilton finds his rhythm

Last season, in his dismal debut campaign with Ferrari, which featured a sole sprint win incidentally at this very circuit, questions emerged about Hamilton’s adaptation and longevity in the sport. On Sunday, the narrative shifted. He secured his first podium for the Scuderia after a spirited duel with teammate Leclerc.

A driver with a record 105 race victories describing the race as one of the most enjoyable of his career said everything about what this finish meant, underscoring that doubts about his waning competitive edge were premature.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do to try and keep up, but I had so much fun. It’s one of the most enjoyable races that I’ve had in a long, long time, if ever. The fact that the cars are the way they are this year and that battle with Charles at the end was awesome… great wheel-to-wheel battle, very fair and just what we want. There was one moment we did touch, but it was just a kiss, so it’s okay. But that’s what it’s about. It’s about tough racing.”

Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli in action in the Chinese GP. | Photo Credit: AFP

It was a compelling watch for spectators and Ferrari fans in particular, even if it aided Russell’s P2 finish. Team principal Fred Vasseur’s statement that the drivers are free to race was music to the neutrals’ ears, even if it comes at the expense of some elevated heart rates among the Tifosi.

“I think it was under control; there was great respect between them. You are always a bit scared because something can happen, but in the end, it is very difficult to freeze positions on track. We were doing a good job and you couldn’t know what would happen at the end. I think it was the right decision. We also need this to grow as a team. It was a good battle, good for the team, good for Formula 1 and good for the fans,” Vasseur declared.

There is also hope that Ferrari might cut the gap to the Silver Arrows’ rocketship. “A package was planned for Bahrain, which we will bring to Miami. We will also look to bring other developments, maybe a package and a half.”

Giants fumble

While Mercedes is flying high, McLaren, which uses its power units, including the 1.6-liter V6 turbocharged hybrid engine and energy recovery systems, has spectacularly stumbled at the start of this era of revamped regulations.

While Lando Norris managed to race at the Australian GP after Oscar Piastri’s pre-race crash, both were consigned to their respective garages with the team failing to field both cars at the Shanghai International Circuit. The reason? Two separate electrical issues in the power units.

McLaren has attributed the gap to Mercedes and Ferrari on an “underdeveloped” chassis more than a power unit knowledge deficit. But whatever the issue may be, it needs to get its act together soon or risk being left behind before it can get to grips with its car. Next door, Max Verstappen has struggled to come to terms with his Red Bull Racing car, which lacked grip throughout the weekend. He managed to qualify P8, but yet another dreadful start saw him on the back foot from the get-go.

In typical Verstappen fashion, he fought his way through the field once he put on the hard tyre and was sitting in P6, behind Ollie Bearman’s Haas, before a cooling problem on the energy recovery system then prematurely brought his race to an end. The Dutchman has long been grumbling about this new era of battery-dominated racing, and the events of Shanghai will only amplify his protests.

That Bearman (17) has bagged more points than world champions Norris (15) and Verstappen (8) shows how much both teams have been struggling, not to discount the good work Haas has put in to give the youngster a strong platform to showcase his abilities.

For all the early hype about Adrian Newey turning Aston Martin into one of the front runners, the opposite has been the reality so far. It is comfortably the worst car on the grid, well behind newcomers Cadillac.

Lance Stroll’s car gave up after nine laps while Fernando Alonso was forced to retire after the 32nd. Both drivers are trying to find solace in humour. Stroll asked for divine intervention ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, the home race for engine supplier Honda, while Alonso waved to Sergio Perez’s Cadillac as it cruised past him.

The videos of Alonso resorting to letting the steering go after struggling with the car’s vibrations has amplified calls for the team to prioritise driver health over all else.

Much better offering

While the Chinese Grand Prix weekend was far from perfect, it was a much better offering compared to the dull race in Australia. Yes, the cars still power halfway down the long back straight. Yes, there was ample lifting and coasting (Turns 6, 9 and 11). Yes, the battery continues to have a strong impact when it comes to overtaking. But it is not all doom and gloom, especially if the energy concerns are addressed. There was ample overtaking, even if the majority of it was between Leclerc and Hamilton. It was entertaining overall, cheeky comparisons to Mario Kart notwithstanding.

The accusations that this era will not reward the best drivers are untrue, even if the biggest differentiator remains the quality of drivers’ machinery. For the discerning racing enthusiast, that might be the most crucial footnote from this weekend in Shanghai.