Kimi Antonelli after Sprint victory: Much unease over Hamilton in a Ferrari

First sprint victory for the Italian Mercedes teenager Kimi Antonelli. The 19-year-old from Bologna won the short race as part of the British Grand Prix weekend in outstanding style, securing eight World Championship points in the process. Kimi has thus won a Sprint at Silverstone for the very first time in his Formula 1 career, becoming the youngest GP driver to do so.

The five-time Grand Prix winner assessed his performance after 17 laps as follows: “The first ten laps with Lewis were great fun. I knew my chance would come if I stayed close enough.”

“At one point I thought I’d caught Lewis, but then he needed his boost to successfully defend his position at Turn 4 after he’d strayed slightly off the ideal line, so I had to try again.”

“I told myself: right, stay patient. Then I gave it my all heading into Stowe, and that’s where it all came together. Once I was in the lead, I just wanted to find my rhythm and see the race out for the win. I managed to do that, so I’m very pleased.”

“The whole team did a brilliant job, but we’re on our guard: Lewis and Ferrari are there, as are McLaren and Red Bull Racing; we’ll have to keep performing at a very high level if we want to defend our lead.”

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26.07.2026 - 17:15

“I drove flat out. Right from the start, I thought I had a chance against Lewis, but I was lacking a bit of momentum. Fortunately, it all worked out later on.”

“I hardly need to change anything on the car for the Grand Prix qualifying; the car felt good in the sprint. Tyre wear is fine too. In the final practice session, I’ll just try to get the most out of myself.”

How the sprint unfolded

Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) got off to a good start from pole position in front of 180,000 fans; Kimi Antonelli put up a fight but came off second best. Verstappen dropped three places at the start. Further back, Piastri overtook Russell.

Norris then overtook Antonelli, but the championship leader from Italy fought back on the Hangar Straight. Russell overtook both McLarens within two corners. That had everyone on the edge of their seats.

The standings after Lap 1: Hamilton, Antonelli, Russell, Norris, Piastri, Verstappen, Leclerc and Gasly in the top eight points-scoring positions.

The difficulties with energy management led to numerous overtaking manoeuvres, some successful, some not, depending on who happened to have more electric power than their opponent at the time. Norris managed to get past Russell again this way. At the front, Hamilton and Antonelli pulled away.

Verstappen briefly overtook Norris after passing Piastri, then also overtook Russell, who suddenly dropped back again. It went back and forth like this, giving the fans plenty to watch.

Standings on lap 4: Hamilton just ahead of Antonelli, then Norris and Verstappen. Further back, a breathtaking duel between Piastri and Leclerc for P6.

The driving was aggressive, but always with a safety margin: nobody wants to crash their car just before the GP qualifying session.

Antonelli stayed close to leader Hamilton; the 19-year-old Italian calmly studied where the Ferrari was showing weaknesses in terms of energy management.

The impression was that Hamilton was driving only as fast as he needed to stay ahead, unsure of what Antonelli was truly capable of.

But Kimi’s Mercedes seemed quicker. On lap 7, the Bolognese driver launched his first attack; Hamilton was on his guard. Then Antonelli closed in again, this time at Stowe. But it didn’t quite work out yet.

On lap 8, Antonelli was right on Lewis’s tail, and the seven-time world champion spread his Ferrari waaaay wide.

But Hamilton had used up too much energy defending, and Antonelli overtook him to take the lead! Lewis’s new task: to stay within a second of him to have a chance against Kimi later on.

Norris had left Verstappen behind, who now had Russell breathing down his neck. On lap 9, the Austrian GP winner overtook the Dutchman, thanks to more electric power.

Standings on lap 10: Antonelli, Hamilton, Norris, Russell, Verstappen, Leclerc, Piastri and Lawson.

Shortly afterwards, Verstappen also lost a position to Leclerc, leaving Max in sixth place.

This marked the first-ever sprint victory for championship leader Antonelli (who thereby became the youngest F1 sprint winner), ahead of the two British world champions, Hamilton and Norris.

Fourth place went to Russell, followed by Leclerc, Piastri and Lawson in eighth. But the final word has not yet been spoken: New Zealander Lawson must report to the race stewards after the sprint to justify his – let’s call it – robust defence against Isack Hadjar.

• All Sprint winners

• Silverstone 2021 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing

• Monza 2021 – Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Mercedes

• Interlagos 2021 – Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Mercedes

• Imola 2022 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing

• Red Bull Ring 2022 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing

• Interlagos 2022 – George Russell (GB), Mercedes

• Baku 2023 – Sergio Pérez (MEX), Red Bull Racing

• Spielberg 2023 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing

• Francorchamps 2023 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing

• Qatar 2023 – Oscar Piastri (AUS), McLaren-Mercedes

• Austin 2023 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing

• Interlagos 2023 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing

• Shanghai 2024 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing

• Miami 2024 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing

• Spielberg 2024 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing

• Austin 2024 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing

• Interlagos 2024 – Lando Norris (GB), McLaren

• Qatar 2024 – Oscar Piastri (AUS), McLaren-Mercedes

• Shanghai 2025 – Lewis Hamilton (GB), Ferrari

• Miami 2025 – Lando Norris (GB), McLaren

• Spa 2025 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing

• Austin 2025 – Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing

• Interlagos 2025 – Lando Norris (GB), McLaren

• Qatar 2025 – Oscar Piastri (AUS), McLaren

• Shanghai 2026 – George Russell (GB), Mercedes

• Miami 2026 – Lando Norris (GB), McLaren

• Montreal 2026 – George Russell (GB), Mercedes

• Silverstone 2026 – Kimi Antonelli (I), Mercedes