Toto Wolff "overwhelmed" by emotional Chinese GP podium as Kimi Antonelli secured maiden F1 win

Toto Wolff said he was overwhelmed after Kimi Antonelli took his first Formula 1 grand prix win in China

Mercedes team principal and CEO Toto Wolff admitted he was "overwhelmed" after Kimi Antonelli's maiden Formula 1 victory in China and the podium celebrations.

The Italian driver successfully converted pole position into his first grand prix win after an initial battle with his Mercedes team-mate George Russell and Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

Having come out ahead, he maintained his lead to the chequered flag, becoming the second-youngest F1 grand prix winner.

The 19-year-old driver was joined on the podium by Russell, who finished second, and Hamilton, who secured his first podium finish with Ferrari. Antonelli's race engineer, Peter 'Bono' Bonnington, who famously served as Hamilton's race engineer at the Brackley outfit, accepted the constructors' trophy.

"That podium now was probably one of the best moments I've ever had," Wolff told Sky Sports F1.

"The three of them, with Bono right in the middle, where he's been with Lewis forever, and then basically taking over Kimi and making Kimi what he is today. I mean, to be honest, rarely that I'm overwhelmed, but that is such a moment."

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

Antonelli has been part of the Mercedes Junior Team since 2019. Asked if his victory felt like a long time coming, Wolff added: "I think it's maybe come earlier than I thought, because we said that it's going to be a difficult year with many ups and downs and mistakes. And then, bang, second race, and he's controlled it at the front.

"He's driven very well today, so he's probably a little bit better than the trajectory that I thought."

After Antonelli claimed his first grand prix pole position in qualifying on Saturday, the pressure was on, but Wolff confirmed that he dealt with it well.

"Yeah, he was actually quite calm and jovial before the race, but on the grid, you see the eyes. I think a feature of the champions, like you guys, is the eyes..."