Antonelli's 'big dream' comes true as Mercedes rising star claims first F1 win

[p]The 19-year-old, who took over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hamilton-lewis/tI5Vpe1h/"]Lewis Hamilton[/a]'s old seat at Mercedes at the start of the 2025 season, swept to a maiden win at the Shanghai International Circuit.[/p][p][b]"The team did an incredible job," [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antonelli-andrea-kimi/ptGu0mT1/"]Antonelli[/a] told reporters.[/p][p][b]"The car is super quick, and it's allowing us to fight for wins.[/b][/p][p][b]"I'm really happy because they also helped me to achieve one of my big dreams."[/b][/p][embed guid="5b8cf028-94ba-4bcc-acd3-620b03e28184" url="https://x.com/MercedesAMGF1/status/2033100446529646813?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Antonelli converted being the youngest pole-sitter in Formula 1 history into victory.[/p][p][b]But the Italian is not the youngest race winner. That accolade belongs to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/verstappen-max/UV3mgeXB/"]Max Verstappen[/a].[/b][/p][p]He was 18 when he won the Spanish Grand Prix in 2016 for Red Bull.[/p][p]Antonelli struggled at the start when the Ferrari of Hamilton swept past him.[/p][p]But once he regained the lead, Antonelli controlled the race superbly to win by more than five seconds from teammate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/russell-george/xxF56RaN/"]George Russell[/a].[/p][p][b]"The start is still our weak point and, to be fair, I didn't go with, you know, a great confidence because my two previous starts were really bad,"[/b] admitted Antonelli, who was second behind Russell in the season-opener in Melbourne.[/p][p][b]"Obviously, I covered a little bit too much on the inside and left too much space on the outside. So I probably need to review that.[/b][/p][p][b]"But the pace was still good, and I managed to bring it home."[/b][/p][embed guid="61a10cca-9b97-4657-832b-f6abe6085d81" url="https://x.com/i/status/2033108456358527223" social-type="twitter" /][p]Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said Antonelli had repaid his faith in elevating the youngster to the seat formerly held by seven-time world champion Hamilton.[/p][p][b]"It is rare I am overwhelmed, but I am at the moment,"[/b] said Wolff.[/p][p][b]"The win has maybe come earlier than I expected. Last year, we said that it's going to be a very difficult year with many ups and downs and mistakes,"[/b] added Wolff.[/p][p][b]"Then, bam, second race. He has controlled it in the front; he has driven very well today, so he's probably a little bit better than the trajectory I thought.[/b][/p][p]"He was actually quite calm and jovial before the race, but then, on the grid, you see the eyes."[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/auto-racing-formula-1-kimi-antonelli-secures-first-f1-victory-with-mercedes-one-two-at-chinese-grand-prix/IXGFdY4j/"]Read more about Antonelli's win in our race report.[/a][/h2]