PORTALBERITA.CO.ID - Nineteen-year-old Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli achieved a landmark victory at the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday, cementing his status as the youngest winner at the prestigious street circuit. He secured the win after claiming pole position and masterfully managing the race despite a dramatic late-race red flag incident, as reported by The Guardian.
This triumph marked Antonelli’s fifth victory in just six races this season, dramatically increasing his championship advantage. He now holds a commanding 66-point lead over teammate Lewis Hamilton and 68 points over George Russell in the driver standings.
Antonelli’s performance was highlighted by a razor-thin qualifying margin, where he edged out four-time champion Max Verstappen by a mere four-hundredths of a second before converting that advantage into race-day success. Verstappen ultimately finished behind the young Italian driver.
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff expressed profound awe regarding the teenager’s qualifying effort, particularly given it was only his second Formula One appearance at the challenging Monte Carlo venue.
"I thought, this is going to be impossible, seeing Charles [Leclerc] flying into the swimming pool section, that is the fastest lap. Seeing a car coming in there and on the limit sideways," said Wolff, Mercedes Team Principal.
Wolff elaborated that Antonelli managed to find crucial time in the closing stages of the lap, ultimately securing the front-row start through sheer late-sector pace.
"Then Max [Verstappen] topped it. Then we were chasing Kimi’s lap, we have the live GPS and it looked like he’s just not going to make it," continued Wolff. "Out of nowhere, the last two corners he made the difference. Looking at the onboard afterwards, it’s unbelievable. It was unbelievable, that lap," said Wolff, Mercedes Team Principal.
Reflecting on his own career trajectory, Antonelli acknowledged significant personal development following a difficult debut year in 2025 driving a less competitive package.
"I matured a lot, I feel like last year was a massive learning in the good, [and] especially in the bad moments," said Antonelli, Mercedes Driver. "Despite how bad the bad moments were, being able to come away and to reset and actually being able to be back at that good performance was really important for me. That made me grow and also [my] mindset changed a lot compared to last year."
