Shanghai turns blue. The 2026 Chinese GP rightfully enters the history of Italian motorsport thanks to the victory of Andrea “Kimi” Antonelli, who conquers his first career success in Formula 1 and brings an Italian driver back to the top step of the podium after a twenty-year wait.
The young talent from Bologna (born in 2006, 20 years old in August) signed a perfect weekend: pole position and a race conducted with clarity, pace, and zero smudges. On a technical and often unforgiving track like Shanghai, Antonelli handled every phase with surprising maturity, defending the lead until the checkered flag and transforming the pressure into pure energy.
Italy's return to success: the last was Fisichella
To understand the significance of the feat, one fact is enough: the last Italian to win a Formula 1 GP was Giancarlo Fisichella, April 2, 2006 in Malaysia with Renault. Since then, generations of fans have waited for a new name to celebrate. Today, that name is Antonelli.
A special mention for Hamilton: podium and battle until the end
On the podium, together with the Mercedes one-two, there is also the Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari, third at the finish line. The British champion—always a star when it counts—brought home a significant result, confirming his competitiveness and solidity in a GP that required management and nerve. His top-three finish adds prestige to an already memorable race, and makes Antonelli's victory even more significant: beating opponents of that caliber is never a formality.
A new symbol for the new generation
The feeling is that it is not just a “beautiful” victory: it is a victory that opens a chapterFor Antonelli, for Mercedes, but also for an Italy that is once again dreaming big in Formula 1.
And if Shanghai was the first signing, now everyone is asking the same question: how many more will come?
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