Every radio message from Antonelli’s first F1 win · RaceFans

Andrea Kimi Antonelli was only briefly headed on his way to the first victory of his Formula 1 career in Shanghai.

Lewis Hamilton briefly got ahead of him at the start of the race, before Antonelli regained the lead on the second lap.

But he and race engineer Peter Bonnington knew the biggest threat to him wasn’t the Ferraris but his team mate George Russell. Bonnington kept Antonelli appraised of Russell’s progress throughout the race and reassured him he still had a healthy lead following a potentially costly mistake three laps from home.

Antonelli’s radio messages from the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix

Easy pass into one with Overtake
Where am I losing in the last sector?
Higher lateral abrasion compared to George
Are you happy with the management?
Ferraris are battling
George now car P2
This traffic is so bad
It’s f***ing bad
You made me achieve one of my dreams

“Easy pass into one with Overtake”

Once the Ferraris made their customary fast starts the Mercedes pair dispatched them quickly. Bonnington was quick to warn Antonelli how easily Russell had overtaken Hamilton using his Overtake mode, and let him know when his team mate was potentially close enough to attack him.

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“Where am I losing in the last sector?”

Antonelli successfully kept Russell at arm’s length through the first 10 laps as they drew away quickly from the Ferraris. But Antonelli was beginning to notice Russell closing in and asked Bonnington where he was losing time.

But then the Safety Car intervened: Lance Stroll’s car came to a stop at turn two and the race was neutralised.

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“Higher lateral abrasion compared to George”

Mercedes pitted its two cars together. After they had inspected Antonelli’s tyres, Bonnington advised him he’d taken more out of them than Russell over the opening laps.

However the Safety Car had put Antonelli in a stronger position. Several drivers opted not to pit and two of them, Franco Colapinto and Esteban Ocon, now separated him from Russell.

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“Are you happy with the management?”

At the restart Antonelli was able to manage his tyres in clear air while Russell fell back into the clutches of the two Ferrari drivers, both of whom overtook him.

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“Ferraris are battling”

Antonelli grew his lead rapidly while Russell fought his way past the battling Ferraris.

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“George now car P2”

By the time Russell emerged in second place, Antonelli was almost eight seconds ahead. Bonnington gave Antonelli ample feedback on his team mate’s lap times and differences in driving style as Russell gained slowly on him.

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“This traffic is so bad”

Both leading Mercedes had to pick their way past a couple of lapped cars. Russell lost more time at this point than Antonelli, who stretched his lead to nine seconds.

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“It’s f***ing bad”

Antonelli lost a two-second chunk of his lead when he locked a wheel and skidded wide at the turn 14 hairpin. He still had a useful lead over Russell, however, and he avoided any further errors over the remaining laps.

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“You made me achieve one of my dreams”

Having survived that scare, Antonelli celebrated his breakthrough grand prix victory with his team. Mercedes CEO and team principal Toto Wolff came on his radio to join in the congratulations and remind Antonelli of those who had doubted their decision to promote him to the race team last year.

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2026 Chinese Grand Prix

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