Antonelli breaks F1 records with youngest race lead and fastest lap at Japanese GP

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the 18-year-old Italian sensation, showcased his burgeoning talent by becoming Formula 1's youngest race leader and fastest lap setter during the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday. Driving for Mercedes, Antonelli finished sixth, an impressive feat that firmly establishes his place among the sport's promising talents.

At 18 years and 224 days, Antonelli led the race for 10 laps during a 31-lap initial stint on medium tires, benefiting from strategic pit stops by other drivers. He clocked the fastest lap with a time of 1:30.965 seconds on hard tires around the Suzuka circuit. The Italian prodigy finished one place ahead of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, whose seat at Brackley he took over after the 40-year-old Briton joined Ferrari. This marks Antonelli's third consecutive scoring finish in as many races.

"It was not bad. What I'm most happy about today is the confidence I had in the car and the confidence to push, which I didn't have on Friday and the start of Saturday," Antonelli told Sky Sports. "It was quite surprising to get fastest lap but definitely the feeling I had in the car is the most important... I was able to explore the limit and to push and to play with the car as well. It's good learning and good experience for next time."

In practice, Antonelli had faced some struggles, but his performance in the race demonstrated his ability to put in consistent lap times and improve his pace in free air. He was gaining on the cars ahead of him as the opening stint progressed, albeit running out of time to overtake.

"It was also a nice feeling to lead the race for a few laps and become the youngest driver in F1 history to have done so. The next goal is to do that on the only lap that matters: the final one," he added.

Max Verstappen, the previous youngest driver to set the fastest lap, achieved this milestone with Red Bull in Brazil in 2016 at the age of 19 years and 44 days. Verstappen, who secured a race win for Red Bull from pole position on Sunday, still holds the record as the youngest ever F1 race winner at 18 years and 228 days, a benchmark Antonelli narrowly missed this weekend at Suzuka.

Antonelli's performance underscores his rapid rise in Formula 1 and hints at a promising future in the sport. His ability to lead and set record-breaking laps speaks volumes about his potential to challenge the elite in seasons to come.

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