Kimi Antonelli secured the title of the youngest driver to earn points during their first race after finishing fourth at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.
Starting 16th, the 18-year-old Antonelli had an early spin at Turn 4 but managed to avoid further incidents. He then capitalized on switching to intermediate tires later in the race to advance into the top five.
Antonelli subsequently overtook Alex Albon from Williams on track to secure fourth place. However, he received a time penalty for an unsafe pit lane exit, dropping him to fifth. Following the race, Mercedes contested this penalty, leading to Antonelli being reinstated in fourth position. This achievement stood as the finest outcome for a rookie since Kevin Magnussen finished second at the 2014 Australian Grand Prix.
That was an exceptionally dynamic race," Antonelli stated. "The conditions were extremely challenging out there. We faced numerous varying circumstances today, but I believe our team performed well. I am pleased with how we handled every aspect from beginning to end, and finishing fourth after starting sixteenth is quite encouraging. I certainly have nothing to complain about regarding how my first Formula 1 race unfolded.
This crowned a robust performance from Mercedes, as George Russell secured his spot on the podium by claiming third place.
Russell stated, "Operationally, the team performed excellently today and we successfully optimized our outcome. The vehicle’s speed allowed us to compete for a spot on the podium; however, we realize that additional velocity will be necessary if we aim to contend with McLaren under regular circumstances."
Australian Grand Prix F1 Results
- Lando Norris from McLaren completed 57 laps.
- Max Verstappen, Red Bull, +0.895 second
- George Russell, Mercedes, +8.481
- Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, +10.135
- Alexander Albon, Williams, +12.773
- Lance Stroll, Aston Martin, +17.413
- Nico Hulkenberg, Oust Sauber, +18.423
- Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, +19.826
- Oscar Piastri, McLaren, +20.448
- Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, +22.473
- Pierre Gasly, Alpin, +26.502
- Yuki Tsunoda, Racing Bulls, +29.884
- Esteban Ocon, Haas, +33.161
- Ollie Bearman, Haas, +40.351
- Liam Lawson with Red Bull completed +11 laps
- Gabriel Bortoleto, Kick Sauber, completed more than 12 additional laps
- Fernando Alonso from Aston Martin was 25 laps behind
- Carlos Sainz, Williams, DNF
- Jack Doohan, Alpine, DNF
- Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls, Did Not Finish
Post a Comment