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

Bernie Ecclestone Blasts Christian Horner as “Idiot” Amid Explosive Red Bull Racing Scandal
Motorsports

Bernie Ecclestone Blasts Christian Horner as “Idiot” Amid Explosive Red Bull Racing Scandal

Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

by Carl Harrison
July 11, 2025
Jonathan Wheatley: The Mastermind Behind Sauber’s Resurgence Who Almost Ruled Red Bull
Motorsports

Jonathan Wheatley: The Mastermind Behind Sauber’s Resurgence Who Almost Ruled Red Bull

In a shocking turn of events, the powerhouse behind Sauber's resurgence could have been the one to take over Christian...

by Arthur Ling
July 10, 2025
Laurent Mekies Unleashed: Revamping Red Bull’s F1 Future Amid Max Verstappen Drama
Motorsports

Laurent Mekies Unleashed: Revamping Red Bull’s F1 Future Amid Max Verstappen Drama

Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

by Carl Smith
July 10, 2025
Sebastian Vettel’s Red Bull Return Crushed: Horner’s Departure Seals Fate
Motorsports

Sebastian Vettel’s Red Bull Return Crushed: Horner’s Departure Seals Fate

Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

by Carl Harrison
July 10, 2025

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.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

Recent News

Bernie Ecclestone Blasts Christian Horner as “Idiot” Amid Explosive Red Bull Racing Scandal

Bernie Ecclestone Blasts Christian Horner as “Idiot” Amid Explosive Red Bull Racing Scandal

July 11, 2025
Xiaomi utiliza melancia para mostrar a resistência da bateria do SU7 Ultra

Xiaomi delivers 300,000 vehicles in 15 months.

July 10, 2025
Cupra atualiza Formentor e Leon com mais tecnologia e nova cor

Cupra updates Formentor and Leon with more technology and a new color.

July 10, 2025
Jonathan Wheatley: The Mastermind Behind Sauber’s Resurgence Who Almost Ruled Red Bull

Jonathan Wheatley: The Mastermind Behind Sauber’s Resurgence Who Almost Ruled Red Bull

July 10, 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