Kimi Antonelli received a special treat from Mercedes after securing his maiden Formula 1 victory. The Brackley-based squad allowed him to keep the original trophy he lifted on the podium at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix.
In an interview with GQ Magazine for the '10 Things F1 Driver Kimi Antonelli Can’t Live Without' feature, the Italian showed the original trophy from his historic win in Shanghai. In F1, it is standard practice for teams to retain original trophies, typically displaying them at the factory while providing drivers with high-quality replicas.
“This is the trophy of my first victory in China, and this is a moment I'll never forget,” said Kimi Antonelli, as reported by Motorsport.com. “The first victory is always incredible. It has an enormous meaning, and it also marks my first win in the top division. This trophy is the original, the one I lifted on the podium.”
“Usually, the originals go to the teams, while we keep the replicas. However, since it was my first win, the team let me have it, especially since you only get one first time. This, obviously, was placed in my trophy case,” added the Mercedes driver.
Antonelli also recalled how he approached the race in China. “Starting from pole position, I knew I had a good chance of being able to get a good result. Obviously, I knew it would be very difficult, but when there were about fifteen laps to go, I knew I was close to the finish line and that I could do it. It took a long time to realise in that moment what had happened. But it was a truly indescribable moment,” he said.
The win in China kickstarted an impressive season for Antonelli. By the first half of 2026, he had secured six grand prix victories and currently leads the drivers' championship with a 59-point advantage over George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, who are level on points.
Read Also
Sergio Perez menargetkan tiga tahun lagi di F1 untuk membangun proyek Cadillac dari nol, termotivasi oleh tantangan baru setelah setahun absen.
James Vowles mengakui Williams ikut bertanggung jawab atas tabrakan Carlos Sainz dan Alex Albon di GP Belanda. Strategi VSC jadi sorotan utama.
Kisah awal Vettel di Ferrari: momen emosional di Fiorano, pengumuman tak terkoordinasi, dan tekanan yang membayangi kariernya. Analisis mendalam dari The Race.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!