Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes secured his first Formula 1 Grand Prix victory at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix, converting his pole position into a win. His teammate George Russell finished second, achieving a Mercedes one-two, with Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari completing the podium in third place. A total of seven drivers either retired or failed to start the race due to various technical issues.
Mercedes Dominates Chinese Grand Prix with Antonelli's Maiden Win
Kimi Antonelli, 19, driving for Mercedes, claimed his maiden Formula One Grand Prix victory in China. He started from pole position and finished ahead of his Mercedes teammate George Russell, securing a dominant 1-2 finish for the team.
Lewis Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, secured a significant third place, marking his first podium with the team. Antonelli's victory also positioned him as the youngest pole-sitter in Formula One history to convert pole into a win.
Race Progression Highlights
The race began with immediate drama as Antonelli initially lost the lead at the start to Hamilton in Turn 1, while Charles Leclerc also moved past Russell. However, Antonelli quickly reclaimed the lead from Hamilton on the following lap, setting the stage for his eventual victory.
A Safety Car was deployed on lap 10 or 11 after Lance Stroll's Aston Martin stopped due to a suspected battery issue, prompting a flurry of pit stops across the field. Following the safety car period, Antonelli maintained his lead, with Hamilton in second, Leclerc third, and Russell fourth.
By lap 29, Russell advanced past both Ferraris to secure second place, solidifying Mercedes' one-two position. Antonelli maintained a comfortable lead throughout, at one point stretching it to over seven seconds, despite a late lock-up at Turn 14 with just three laps remaining. In the closing stages, Hamilton and Leclerc engaged in a fierce battle for third place, with Hamilton ultimately prevailing on lap 40 to secure his podium.
Point Scorers
Points were awarded to the following drivers:
- 4th Place: Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- 5th Place: Ollie Bearman (Haas)
- 6th Place: Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
- 7th Place: Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
- 8th Place: Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)
- 9th Place: Carlos Sainz (Williams), securing his team's first points of the year.
- 10th Place: Franco Colapinto (Alpine), scoring his first point for the team.
Esteban Ocon (Alpine) received a 10-second penalty for a collision with Colapinto, finishing 13th.
Significant Retirements and Non-Starters
A total of seven drivers either retired from the race or were unable to start, marking a challenging Grand Prix for several teams:
- Both McLaren drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, failed to start the race due to identified electrical or powertrain issues. The team became aware of the problems approximately one hour before the race.
- Williams drivers Alex Albon and Gabriel Bortoleto also did not start.
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) stalled on track, an incident that led to the deployment of the Safety Car.
- His teammate Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) retired due to reported vibration problems, citing a loss of feeling in his hands.
- Four-time world champion Max Verstappen (Red Bull) retired his car on lap 46 due to electronic or power unit issues.