Antonelli Becomes Youngest F1 Race Leader at Suzuka

Andrea Kimi Antonelli made history at the Japanese Grand Prix by becoming the youngest driver to lead a Formula 1 race and set the fastest lap, achieving these feats at 18 years and 224 days old. Antonelli, a Mercedes rookie, impressed by finishing sixth, just ahead of Lewis Hamilton, whom he replaced at the team. Despite initial struggles in practice, Antonelli's performance improved significantly on race day, aided by analysis and advice from seasoned drivers. His lap time of 1:30.965 broke Max Verstappen's previous fastest lap record set in Brazil in 2016. Mercedes' team members, including Trackside Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin, praised Antonelli for his maturity and rapid development. Antonelli expressed satisfaction with his progress and aims to lead the race on the final lap in future competitions.