Kimi Antonelli leads F1 standings after maiden victory

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli has revealed that his team made a rare exception by allowing him to keep the original trophy from his maiden Formula 1 victory at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix. Typically, F1 teams retain the original trophies for display at their factories while drivers receive high-quality replicas.

Antonelli, who joined Mercedes in 2025 following Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari, has demonstrated significant dominance in the 2026 season. After his win in Shanghai, he secured five additional victories in the first half of the season, placing him at the top of the driver standings with a 59-point lead over George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.