Mercedes permitted Kimi Antonelli to keep the original trophy he lifted at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix, breaking the convention of teams storing first‑place cups and issuing drivers replicas.
A rare gesture from Brackley
In Formula One, it is typical for teams to retain the initial certificates while fans receive high‑quality copies, but Antonelli explained the Brackley outfit disagreed because it was his first career win.
“This is the trophy of my first victory in China, a moment I’ll never forget,” Antonelli told GQ Magazine‘s “10 Things F1 Driver Kimi Antonelli Can’t Live Without” feature. “Normally the originals go to the team and we keep the replicas, but because it was my first win, the team let me have it and placed it in my trophy case.”
“Starting from pole, I knew I had a shot. When there were fifteen laps left, I realised I could reach the finish line and do it.”
“It took a long time to understand exactly what had happened, but in that instant the feeling was beyond words.”
Antonelli’s 2026 campaign in the spotlight
Since China, the Italian has racked up five additional Grand Prix victories, establishing a 59‑point lead in the drivers’ championship over George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, who are level on points.
This streak places Antonelli in sole possession of the points advantage for the season.
With the championship thriving, Mercedes will be keen to see if this confidence boost translates into even more triumphs.
"