George Russell finishes third at Chinese Grand Prix

The Chinese Grand Prix featured a solid performance from Mercedes, with George Russell finishing in third place. The race, held on March 23, highlighted some playful banter between Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and rookie driver Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli was voted Driver of the Day despite ending up in sixth place. Wolff joked that Antonelli's appeal and the looks of his race engineer, Peter Bonnington, influenced the voting. Antonelli originally finished eighth but moved up to sixth after two Ferraris were disqualified. Antonelli faced challenges during the race, noting some damage to his car early on. He said it was hard to maintain control, especially after hitting debris on the track. This damage, he explained, significantly affected his car’s performance. In contrast, Russell’s run to third place was smooth. He expressed confidence, saying Mercedes could win every race. Mercedes’ trackside engineering director, Andrew Shovlin, noted that Antonelli could have competed for fourth place if not for the damage to his car. At just 18, Antonelli has made history as one of the youngest drivers to score points in Formula 1.