‘Here we go Kimi... victory!’ Premium

Kimi Antonelli's historic victory at the Chinese Grand Prix signals a thrilling future for Mercedes and intense internal competition.

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.