Formula 1 had in the 2026 Chinese GP a race full of important milestones for the season and for the history of the category. The main one was the first victory of Kimi Antonelli’s career, which turned Sunday in Shanghai into a personal milestone and also for Italian motorsport.
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With the triumph, the Mercedes driver became the 116th different winner in the history of Formula 1. In addition, Antonelli became the first new winner in the category since Oscar Piastri, who had achieved his first victory at the 2024 Hungarian GP with McLaren.
The result also put Italy back at the top of Formula 1 after a long interval. Antonelli is the first Italian driver to win a race since Giancarlo Fisichella, at the 2006 Malaysian GP, when he was racing for Renault.
The victory in Shanghai also earned the Mercedes youngster another prominent place in the record books. Antonelli became the second youngest driver in Formula 1 history to win a Grand Prix, at 19 years, 6 months, and 18 days. In this ranking, he is second only to Max Verstappen, who won at 18 years, 7 months, and 15 days. The Italian is also only the second driver in history to triumph before the age of 20.
While Antonelli shone with the victory, George Russell also left his mark on the championship. The Briton reached his 18th consecutive race finishing in the points zone, establishing the longest streak among all drivers on the current grid.
Another name in the spotlight was Lewis Hamilton. The British driver finally achieved his first podium with Ferrari, and this happened in his 26th race for the Italian team. Charles Leclerc, for his part, maintained consistency by finishing in the top five for the third consecutive race.
On the opposite side of the table, the race was also marked by a rare result for Max Verstappen. The Dutchman’s retirement was his first since the 2025 Austrian GP, ending a long streak of races completed by the four-time champion.
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McLaren had an especially tough Sunday. Oscar Piastri continues without completing a single lap in Grand Prix races in the 2026 season, while the team as a whole had not been off the grid with both cars since the 2005 United States GP, an occasion marked by the protest involving tire problems.
Among the positive highlights of the rest of the field, Oliver Bearman achieved the second top 5 of his career, the first in 2026. Alpine also had a significant result, as they returned to scoring points with both cars for the first time since the 2024 São Paulo GP, when Esteban Ocon finished second and Pierre Gasly third.
Franco Colapinto also had a special Sunday in Shanghai. The driver scored points for the first time defending Alpine and returned to scoring points for the first time since the 2024 United States GP, when he had been tenth with Williams.
At Williams, Carlos Sainz secured the team’s first points of the 2026 season. Meanwhile, Gabriel Bortoleto experienced an unprecedented and negative moment, as he did not start a Grand Prix for the first time in his career.
Closing the list of curiosities, Aston Martin left China with a worrying mark. The team is the only one on the grid that has not yet managed to complete races with either of its two drivers this Formula 1 season.
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