Mercedes teenager Kimi Antonelli wins first F1 race in China

Teenage Formula 1 driver Kimi Antonelli made his dream of winning a race come true after taking the checkered flag at the Chinese Grand Prix with Mercedes on Sunday.

The 19-year-old Italian converted being the youngest pole-sitter in F1 history into a victory, just a year after making his debut.

He delivered a near-perfect race, becoming the first Italian to win a Grand Prix in more than 20 years after Giancarlo Fisichella's victory in the 2006 Malaysian Grand Prix.

“Thank you, everyone, thank you so much. You made me achieve one of my dreams,” he said over the radio.

“I’m speechless. I’m about to cry, to be honest,” he said in the post-race interview before doing just that.

Antonelli briefly lost the lead at the start of the race, but led the pace all the way home once he got back in front. 

This marked a second successive one-two victory for Mercedes, with teammate George Russell finishing in second.

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton rounded off the top three with his first podium finish for the Scuderia.

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