Kimi Antonelli reveals special Mercedes gesture after maiden F1 win
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli has revealed the team allowed him to keep the original winner's trophy from his maiden Formula 1 victory. Speaking to GQ Magazine in a 10 Things F1 Driver Kimi Antonelli Can’t Live Without feature, the Italian showed the original trophy he received on the podium following his breakthrough win at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix. In F1, it is standard practice ... Keep…
Kimi Antonelli faces increased pressure as his Formula 1 rivals narrow the gap. Despite leading the championship with a 59-point advantage, the Italian driver's Mercedes team faces challenges against McLaren's resurgence. Antonelli, 20, has won six races this season but was beaten to second place by Lando Norris, the reigning world champion, in Hungary and the Netherlands.
Mercedes acknowledges their car is out of sync with upgrades, and McLaren appears to have gained a significant edge. Antonelli expressed frustration with the car's handling and strategy during recent races, stating that the team needs to find time to address McLaren's improvements. While acknowledging the team's order to let Norris pass, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff defended the decision, arguing that not swapping positions would have left both drivers vulnerable to a strong Ferrari challenge.
Despite the setback, Antonelli remains optimistic, believing the grid penalty for Monza still offers a chance to secure a strong result and championship points.
Written by urgent.news from Gulf News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
