Kimi Antonelli's Inevitable First Win

He's too young, we shouldn't put him in a Mercedes, put him in a smaller team. He needs experience, look at the mistakes he makes. Here we go Kimi, victory. Thanks Toto. I'm looking forward hopefully to win the championship and learn as much as I can. I know I'm in a great position and I know that I have a big opportunity ahead of me. So yeah, I'm ready to give my best and we'll see what we can achieve. It's really exciting, I think the atmosphere is really cool and I can't wait to experience it in a few hours. Do they have clear air to try and take advantage? We're looking at Behrmann, Behrmann's the leading driver who has pitted still. So that's the comparison for these drivers to come out in front of or behind. There he is. Oh it's going to be close, it's going to be very close between the two primer cars and remember that tyre temperature problem. Antonelli and Behrmann, oh they're nearly making contact into Massenet. The two teammates, Antonelli scrambling for track position, trying to get the tyres into the window. This is the last corner. Oh it's super close, I've never seen a car go so tight to the wall and try and find their way by. Still they fight, corner after corner. These two drivers bound for Formula 1 and Behrmann gets by. Antonelli trying to use that super soft tyre but just cannot get the temperature to see his teammate off. Behrmann screaming through, tyres already in temperature but such bold defence from Antonelli on his Prima stablemate. That was thrilling stuff and the tyre temperature won the day. Antonelli did all he could. Super exciting to sit here with these two gentlemen. We were talking about young Kimi but on the other side this one is not too old either. So finally the dream came true. It must have been difficult for you especially the last few days, few months. So tell us how it really felt when it has officially been done. Yeah it was a great feeling, dream coming true. Obviously something I've been dreaming since the very young age and to finally be announced as a driver for 25 is such a great feeling and yeah I cannot wait to get started. It's not possible to replace Lewis Hamilton. He's such a great figure in the sport of today and he has achieved so much in his career. So I don't want to see him as his replacement. I'm just the next driver for Mercedes-Benz in 25. So I'm really excited for that and yeah he's a really great guy. He's been giving me some support so yeah really really happy. Formula One in 2025 begins when the five red lights go out. The new season is underway and we're racing to turn number one. This is a moment for the Italian rookie on debut. He's heading into turn number four and he's done what his teammate did in practice. Dipped a wheel, gone round, avoids the wall and he's back in the Grand Prix. Yeah easy mistake to make. He's got his focus on the apex of turn five, turn four excuse me. And well I say easy to make. That is Kimi Antonelli going back past the Sauber having spun away that position a few moments ago. Yes mate, nice job. And Kimi Antonelli comes home in fourth position. Nice work Kimi. That was a great drive. Wow what a race. Yeah mega, mega job today mate. Not bad for your first go and yeah some of those overtakes were pretty sweet. I could have managed a little bit better as well from my side but it was a really good experience and you know today was also a good experience to see how you know what happens also from the back and the way I can manage to progress. So definitely you know really really good learning and I cannot complain about the result. You've got the onboard there DRS wide open and well dropping the Red Bull behind in a late lunge. Whoa from downtown. Antonelli looking for another move, looking for another late lunge. Gasly knew it was coming, positions the car to the inside. The star of qualifying yesterday Pierre Gasly taking a car that hasn't scored a point all year to the top four on the grid. Still trying to keep the Mercedes man behind as his teammate Jack Doohan pits. Antonelli carving him up at the moment and Antonelli taking the place for Mercedes as he improves to P5. Antonelli is in the wheel tracks. He's going up through the gears. Can he force a defensive move from Max Verstappen? He can. Now let's see whether he can use the superior grip of the medium tyre to stand on the throttle and take the place away. Antonelli pass Verstappen up to P7. That's so much more than a pass. That is the ultimate confidence boost doing that on Max Verstappen. Kimi Antonelli gets ahead of all of them and the rookie is bringing a cheer from the grandstands from Mercedes. Kimi Antonelli on sprint pole. How about that? Yes mate, that's P1. Yes, yes mate, come on, come on. Well done, lad. Not bad, not bad. I think we're getting somewhere. And the third youngest Formula 1 podium finisher is Kimi Antonelli climbing onto a podium for the first time in just his 10th race in Formula 1. What do you reckon to that, Kimi? Beautiful work, mate. Oh my god, that was... Oh my god. How does it feel? Thank you, guys. Thank you. It was needed. Welcome, mate. Kimi Grande. The Grande Gros. The small Kimi Gros to Grande Kimi. We will welcome Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the third youngest podium finisher in the entire history of the World Championship. All smiles. Covered in champagne in the Montreal sunshine. So this could be the overtake that Antonelli did many moons ago on Charles Leclerc down here. So lovely, lovely stuff. How about that? Late lunge again. He's made that a habit of his rookie season and he got past the Ferrari to claim the fifth place. He looks set to hold all the way to the end. Kimi Antonelli in the final metres. But Max Verstappen is charging up behind. It's the final metres of the Grand Prix and it's Kimi Antonelli who hangs on by three tenths of a second. Antonelli with his best ever result in Formula 1. Yeah, boy! In two, mate. Oh my goodness. That was stressful. Oh my goodness, indeed. Very well done. What a fight at the end. What a fight. Well done. Thanks, Otto. Oh my god. Yeah, you take a breath now, mate. I was lucky to come away with the contact. But yeah, good job, everyone. What a weekend. Yeah, I mean, I found my rhythm. Obviously, when it was closing in, I kept, you know, I raised the pace. I started to push a bit more. And yeah, I found my rhythm. And obviously, you know, with this car, with dirty air, it's a bit difficult to follow. So I tried to use that into my advantage and yeah, it paid off. Russell trying to knock Lewis Hamilton off the front row. Trying to take back-to-back pole positions in Formula 1. Unleashing all of the power. Here comes the question. Is it history for Antonelli? Or is it a comeback for George Russell? Across the line, he's missed out. And the youngest ever driver to take a Formula 1 Grand Prix pole is Kimi Antonelli at 19 years of age. He takes the record from Sebastian Vettel. Nice work, Kimi. That's a pole position, mate. Yeah, let's go, man. I think it was a really good session. Clean one. No mistake. And looking forward to the race tomorrow. The pack has got closer. But there's a new name at the front in Formula 1 qualifying. Mercedes wanted him in Formula 1 as quickly as possible. And today we are seeing why. So close to lighting it up around the hairpin. Here comes the history boy. The second youngest driver to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix. Kimi Antonelli wins. A fantastic way to open his account. Antonelli wins the Chinese Grand Prix. The second youngest driver in Formula 1 history at just 19 years of age. He's taken the chequered flag for Italy's first win in Formula 1 since 2006. Yes, Kimi. Come on, my son. Yes! Yes, man! We did it! We did it, man! Well done there, mate. First race win. This is one you're going to remember forever, man. He's too young. We shouldn't put him in a Mercedes. Put him in a smaller team. He needs experience. Look at the mistakes he makes. Here we go, Kimi. Victory. Thanks, Otto. And congratulations to the club of the Mercedes Grand Prix winners. There isn't many and now you're part of it. What a mega race. Really, really happy. Thank you, Thomas. Thank you, everyone. Signed to the Mercedes Junior Programme where they said, you're going to be the only driver your age that we sign. So if you're quick, you will make it to Formula 1. He did. And he is the winner in just his 26th Grand Prix start. I'm about to cry, to be honest. But, yeah, I mean, thank you so much to my team. Because, yeah, they helped me to achieve this dream.