Kimi Antonelli says he’s made a ‘dangerous’ call during title fight with George Russell
Photo by Mark Sutton - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images Kimi Antonelli says he’s kept the headlines from his first Formula 1 wins as a way to enjoy the moment, even though he knows it’s “dangerous” given how tight the title race with George Russell has become. Mercedes have started the season strongly, with both drivers sharing early victories. Russell took the opening round in Australia and followed up with a Sprint win in Shanghai, while Antonelli claimed back-to-back wins in China and Japan.
The 19-year-old became not only the youngest driver to ever lead the championship by three years but also extended that gap further after winning back-to-back races in China and Japan. By April, he had built a nine-point lead over Russell heading into the break. His remarkable start to just his second season didn’t stop there.
He also secured his maiden pole position in China, becoming the youngest driver ever to do so, and went on to convert that pole into a victory, making him one of the youngest winners in F1 history. Kimi Antonelli happy to soak in his first F1 wins despite title warning Antonelli put together a strong drive to win the Chinese GP, and it would have been his first Grand Slam if Lewis Hamilton hadn’t briefly taken the lead at the start. In Japan, a safety car helped him recover from a slow start to pick up another victory.
The Bologna native says starting his second F1 season with two wins in three rounds “absolutely” feels like something out of a film. He even picked up newspapers after each win, admitting he likes to enjoy those moments, even if it’s “dangerous” during an F1 title race. “Yes, absolutely, especially in moments like after the victory,” Antonelli told BILD .
“It’s crazy how much interest there was in me. “I bought the newspapers the next day, read them, and I’m going to keep them. Because, of course, you enjoy it, and it feels good, but it’s also dangerous.