AutoGear
  • Latest News
  • AutoGear TV
  • Sustainable Mobility
  • Motorsports
    • Circuits
    • Rally
    • Rally raid
    • WEC
  • English
    • Português
    • Italiano
    • Français
    • Español
    • English
    • Deutsch
    • 日本語
  • STANDINGS
No Result
View All Result
AutoGear
  • Latest News
  • AutoGear TV
  • Sustainable Mobility
  • Motorsports
    • Circuits
    • Rally
    • Rally raid
    • WEC
  • English
    • Português
    • Italiano
    • Français
    • Español
    • English
    • Deutsch
    • 日本語
  • STANDINGS
No Result
View All Result
AutoGear

Antonelli Surprises at Chinese Grand Prix Despite Unreported Mercedes Damage

Carl Harrison by Carl Harrison
March 23, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0
Antonelli Surprises at Chinese Grand Prix Despite Unreported Mercedes Damage

2025 Chinese Grand Prix, Friday - Jiri Krenek

In an unexpected twist at the Chinese Grand Prix, Kimi Antonelli, the young Italian prodigy, managed to steer his damaged Mercedes W16 to a P6 finish. Notably, the 18-year-old ace was kept in the dark about the floor damage his vehicle had sustained throughout the race, a revelation that came only after his victory lap.

Antonelli initially crossed the finish line in the eighth position. However, the disqualification of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc due to excessive skidblock wear and an underweight car, respectively, propelled him to the sixth position in the final classification. The young driver’s impressive performance did not go unnoticed, earning him the coveted “Driver of the Day” award from the fans.

In a post-race interview, Antonelli shared his surprise upon learning about the award from Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. The young racer went on to reveal that crucial information regarding his vehicle’s condition had been withheld from him during the race. When asked by Sky F1 to confirm his unawareness about the floor damage, Antonelli admitted, “Yeah, they didn’t want to tell me so I wouldn’t panic, probably.”

Despite the setback, Antonelli displayed commendable resilience, pushing through the difficulties he faced during the race. “I could feel something was weird from Lap 1. Yesterday was front limitation, front left, and today, I was really struggling with the rear for the whole race, which was quite unusual,” he said. He further noted that keeping up was a challenge, especially trying to preserve the rears as much as possible.

Reflecting on the experience, the young driver saw it as a valuable lesson. He stated, “It was a good experience as well, because it was tough. And also trying not to make mistakes was difficult. But yeah, now full focus to Japan.”

In the meantime, Antonelli’s teammate, George Russell, celebrated a back-to-back podium finish for Mercedes, delivering a P3 after a smooth drive. When asked about his race, Russell responded, “We know we’re not quite in that fight, and P3 is by far the maximum. P3 today, really, really strong race I thought, and obviously finishing six or seven seconds ahead of Max [Verstappen], and held off the Ferraris.”

Russell had a brief chance at P2 due to a brake pedal issue for McLaren’s Lando Norris. However, despite finishing just over a second behind Norris, Russell acknowledged that his compatriot had the situation under control. As he put it, “I think he knew the gap, and he managed it well, and ultimately, we didn’t deserve to finish higher than P3, so I’m very happy with that result.”

As the dust settles on the Chinese Grand Prix, it’s clear that Antonelli’s impressive performance, despite his vehicle’s damage, and Russell’s untroubled drive to P3, are the key talking points. As we look forward to the next race in Japan, the Mercedes team will undoubtedly be looking to build on their successes.

Share212Tweet133Send

Related Posts

Bubba Wallace and 23XI Racing face charter loss after denied rehearing
Motorsports

Bubba Wallace and 23XI Racing face charter loss after denied rehearing

NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace is introduced before the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn., Sunday,...

by James Taylor
July 11, 2025
Red Bull Thunder: Helmut Marko Urged to Step Down for Radical Change
Motorsports

Red Bull Thunder: Helmut Marko Urged to Step Down for Radical Change

Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

by Simon Monroy
July 11, 2025
Max Verstappen Faces Red Bull Exodus Amid Mercedes Temptation – Shocking Revelations Unveiled!
Motorsports

Max Verstappen Faces Red Bull Exodus Amid Mercedes Temptation – Shocking Revelations Unveiled!

Formula One F1 - Austrian Grand Prix - Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria - June 29, 2025 Red Bull's Max...

by Miguel Cunha
July 11, 2025
Laurent Mekies: Red Bull’s New Mastermind Shakes Up Formula 1 Power Play
Motorsports

Laurent Mekies: Red Bull’s New Mastermind Shakes Up Formula 1 Power Play

Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

by Arthur Ling
July 11, 2025

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent News

Bubba Wallace and 23XI Racing face charter loss after denied rehearing

Bubba Wallace and 23XI Racing face charter loss after denied rehearing

July 11, 2025
Red Bull Thunder: Helmut Marko Urged to Step Down for Radical Change

Red Bull Thunder: Helmut Marko Urged to Step Down for Radical Change

July 11, 2025
Max Verstappen Faces Red Bull Exodus Amid Mercedes Temptation – Shocking Revelations Unveiled!

Max Verstappen Faces Red Bull Exodus Amid Mercedes Temptation – Shocking Revelations Unveiled!

July 11, 2025
Laurent Mekies: Red Bull’s New Mastermind Shakes Up Formula 1 Power Play

Laurent Mekies: Red Bull’s New Mastermind Shakes Up Formula 1 Power Play

July 11, 2025

Newsletter

  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TECHNICAL INFORMATION
  • EDITORIAL STATUS
  • TERMS AND CONDITIONS

© 2023 AutoGear - Todos os direitos reservados AutoGear.

No Result
View All Result
  • Latest News
  • AutoGear TV
  • Sustainable Mobility
  • Motorsports
    • Circuits
    • Rally
    • Rally raid
    • WEC
  • English
    • Português
    • Italiano
    • Français
    • Español
    • English
    • Deutsch
    • 日本語

© 2023 AutoGear - Todos os direitos reservados AutoGear.

Enable Notifications OK No thanks