Kimi Antonelli spoke with the few Italian media representatives present at the Chinese Grand Prix after securing the first Formula 1 victory of his career, opening up about his emotions, the immediate future, and the ambitious goals he now sets for himself.
The tears shed after crossing the finish line soon gave way to an unstoppable and genuine joy. “I think it will take a few more days to fully understand and truly enjoy what happened this weekend,” Kimi Antonelli began. “It’s something huge.”
The trophy sitting beside him now appears much larger than it had just moments earlier on the podium of the Shanghai International Circuit.
What does it feel like to stand on the top step of a Formula 1 podium?
“Just before going up I heard the circuit announcer call me Kimi Räikkönen and for a moment I got confused…,” Antonelli said, laughing loudly. “But it was an incredible moment. Hearing the Italian national anthem, seeing the team under the podium and receiving the biggest trophy is something really special. It would be great to end every race weekend like this: it’s one of the most beautiful and intense feelings I’ve ever experienced.”
Now you can say it: did you sleep the night before the race?
“Yes, I did. I even dreamed something about today’s race. But I think I’ll sleep even better on the flight back to Italy.”
When did you start to realize you could win?
“About fifteen laps from the end. I was just hoping the safety car wouldn’t come out. Otherwise I had good pace, but when I saw what I did a few laps from the end I thought: ‘How could I have done something like that?’”
Too relaxed or too much pressure?
“I braked a little later, the tyres were almost finished and there was a tailwind, so there were several factors involved. But I had a good margin, fortunately. When I watched the replay before going onto the podium I was shocked: I was alone, calm, and still made a mistake. But now I can say it went well and it won’t happen again.”
What did you feel on the final lap?
“A lot of emotions! When I exited Turn 14 I even had a small slide, so I waited for the cooldown lap before letting everything out.”
Do you think today’s victory confirms you as a contender for the 2026 world championship?
“We’ve only had two races so far, and there are still around twenty to go, excluding Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Right now I want to enjoy this result while keeping my feet firmly on the ground. I know I’m part of a great team and that I have a very good car that doesn’t rule out any objective: fighting for the world championship is possible. But beating George is definitely not easy, so we have to keep working and pushing.”
During the race were you aware of George’s lap times? From the outside it seemed like you answered every one of his pushes.
“Yes, we have access to the times. There was a phase of the race where I managed things carefully, and then when the team told me I could push I started lowering the lap times. I was enjoying it, maybe even too much, because the lap where I made the braking mistake I was going really fast and there was no need. It was one of those situations where you feel like you’re driving on autopilot, without any mental effort, but I relaxed a little too much and the mistake came. A lesson learned.”
Your race pace was consistently very fast. Overall it seemed you had even more pace than your teammate today.
“With the hard tyres things went very well. The pit stop came earlier than planned because of the safety car on lap ten, so I tried to introduce the tyres as carefully as possible. It was cold and windy on track and I was aware of the graining risk. That’s why it was nice to receive the green light to push, and from that moment it became clear that the pace was very good.”
Toto Wolff said he sometimes still sees you as the little kid who visited the team in the garage at just eleven years old. Eight years ago, did you imagine you would one day win a Formula 1 Grand Prix?
“It was my dream. When I joined the Mercedes junior program at eleven years old I knew there was a very long and demanding path ahead of me. But overcoming those difficulties makes this success even sweeter, and I hope this is the first of many victories.”
Winning the first Grand Prix is both a milestone and the starting point toward new targets.
“I achieved my first pole position and my first victory. Now the next goal is ahead of me, the biggest of all: winning the world championship. There is a lot of work waiting for me.”
On the day of your first Formula 1 victory you shared the podium with Lewis and George.
“Lewis was very kind to me and genuinely happy for me. Sharing the podium with George was emotional, but especially with Lewis, we’re talking about a driver who has made the history of motorsport.”
We can also say that Kimi Antonelli wrote an important page in Italian motorsport history in China.
“It was needed! Even in Melbourne the pace was good, but then there was the chaos caused by the accident in FP3, and when those things happen you always lose some confidence. The car was repaired in record time, almost a miracle, but the setup had only been partially completed. Even so, the result wasn’t bad. So I hoped to have a weekend without problems in Shanghai, and that’s exactly what happened. The pace arrived as I expected, but it’s always tough: nothing comes without giving your maximum.”
Experts often say that a driver must provide a complete ‘package’ of qualities to fight for a world title. Is there any area where you still feel you need to improve?
“Experience. That means being able to put everything together when it matters and reducing mistakes to an absolute minimum. Experience plays a crucial role because it allows you to control situations in every condition: even when you’re struggling you find a way out quickly. But I want to play my cards. At the start of this year I said I would try to be as ready as possible, because the opportunity I have now doesn’t come very often.”
What did your race engineer Bono tell you?
“He was emotional, and not only him. I cried, you saw it. It’s a very important moment for all of us: for me, my family, and for the team that believed in me when I was eleven years old. Reaching this point is a huge achievement. Unfortunately my mother and sister weren’t here, but having my father here was very special: we shared a truly unforgettable moment. I hope more victories will come, but the first one always remains unique.”
Do you have any celebrations planned?
“When I arrive in Italy I’ll definitely celebrate with my family, and also with my friends. But nothing excessive: in the end I like to keep things simple.”
Last year there were phases of the championship where the feeling with the car seemed lower than George Russell’s. Does the 2026 car feel more like yours?
“I feel comfortable, although there’s still room for improvement to have it completely under control. With battery management George sometimes finds the right balance a bit earlier than I do, because I still tend to act instinctively and with these engines you can’t really afford that. That’s why on some occasions I struggled a little compared to George. But overall I feel good with the car.”
Do you worry that hearing people talk about the championship in the background might affect your calmness?
“No, I don’t think so. On the contrary, days like this help you become more aware of what you can achieve and the potential you have. They give you more confidence and belief. As I said, beating George is very, very difficult. There will be a lot of work to do to get an opportunity, but in some ways I think taking the first victory will also reduce some of the pressure.”
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