Mercedes group principal and CEO Toto Wolff admitted he was “overwhelmed” after Kimi Antonelli’s maiden System 1 victory in China and the rostrum celebrations.
The Italian driver efficiently transformed pole place into his first grand prix win after an preliminary battle along with his Mercedes team-mate George Russell and Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
Having come out forward, he maintained his result in the chequered flag, changing into the second-youngest F1 grand prix winner.
The 19-year-old driver was joined on the rostrum by Russell, who completed second, and Hamilton, who secured his first podium end with Ferrari. Antonelli’s race engineer, Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington, who famously served as Hamilton’s race engineer on the Brackley outfit, accepted the constructors’ trophy.
“That podium now was in all probability among the best moments I’ve ever had,” Wolff instructed Sky Sports activities F1.
“The three of them, with Bono proper within the center, the place he is been with Lewis perpetually, after which principally taking up Kimi and making Kimi what he’s as we speak. I imply, to be trustworthy, not often that I am overwhelmed, however that’s such a second.”
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photograph by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Photos through Getty Photos
Antonelli has been a part of the Mercedes Junior Crew since 2019. Requested if his victory felt like a very long time coming, Wolff added: “I feel it is perhaps come sooner than I assumed, as a result of we mentioned that it is going to be a tough yr with many ups and downs and errors. After which, bang, second race, and he is managed it on the entrance.
“He is pushed very nicely as we speak, so he is in all probability just a little bit higher than the trajectory that I assumed.”
After Antonelli claimed his first grand prix pole place in qualifying on Saturday, the strain was on, however Wolff confirmed that he handled it nicely.
“Yeah, he was truly fairly calm and jovial earlier than the race, however on the grid, you see the eyes. I feel a characteristic of the champions, such as you guys, is the eyes…”
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