Teams usually keep Formula 1 race trophies for themselves, but Mercedes made an exception for Kimi Antonelli in China
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli revealed that the team allowed him to keep the original trophy from his first Formula 1 victory. In an interview with GQ magazine as part of the series “10 Things F1 Driver Kimi Antonelli Can’t Live Without,” the Italian showed off the trophy he received on the podium after his maiden victory at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix.
In Formula 1, it is standard practice for teams to retain the original trophies won by their drivers and display them at the factory, while the drivers receive high-quality replicas. Antonelli explained, however, that the Brackley-based team made an exception to honor his first career victory.
“This is the trophy from my first victory in China, and it’s a moment I’ll never forget,” Antonelli explains. “The first victory is always something incredible. It has enormous significance and also marks my first triumph in the premier class. This trophy is the original—the very one I held aloft on the podium.”
“Normally, the originals go to the team, while we keep the replicas. But since it was my first victory, the team let me keep it—especially because you only experience that first moment once. The trophy has, of course, found its place in my display case,” says the Italian.
“Starting from pole position, I knew I had a good chance at a strong result. Of course, I realized it would be extremely difficult, but with about fifteen laps to go, I knew I was close to the finish and could pull it off,” he recalls of the race in Shanghai.
“It took me quite a while to realize what had actually happened in that moment. But it was a truly indescribable moment,” he smiles.
Antonelli went on to secure five more Grand Prix victories in the first half of the 2026 Formula 1 season. He currently leads the Drivers’ World Championship with a 59-point lead over George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, who are tied for second place.