Antonelli dreams of leading F1 championship into vacation break after Hungary podium

Italian driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli celebrated a significant achievement at the Hungaroring, securing third place in the Hungarian Grand Prix. This podium finish, the eleventh race of the Formula One World Championship, allowed the 19-year-old Mercedes driver to solidify his position as the championship leader, a feat that makes him the youngest leader in F1 history.

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It was a tough race. Overtaking here was very hard, too.

Antonelli described the race as "tough," noting the difficulty of overtaking on the Hungarian circuit. He finished behind Britain's Lando Norris of McLaren, who repeated his victory from the previous year, and four-time champion Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving for Red Bull. Antonelli's current points total is 219, giving him a 50-point advantage over seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari, who finished fifth, and a 59-point lead over his teammate George Russell, who came in seventh.

Initially, the team considered a single pit stop strategy, but Antonelli explained that the tires would not have held up. "Fortunately, I was able to keep the Ferraris behind," he commented, referring to the pressure from the Ferrari drivers. Antonelli has achieved six victories and as many pole positions in his Formula One career, all within the current season.

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Going on vacation as the leader of the World Championship is a dream. But we have to keep being attentive and keep pushing.

Looking ahead, Antonelli shared his elation at heading into the vacation break as the championship leader. "Going on vacation as the leader of the World Championship is a dream. But we have to keep being attentive and keep pushing," he stated. This third-place finish marked his twelfth podium appearance in the top category of motorsport and his ninth of the current year.

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From the start, we thought about a single stop, but the tires wouldn't have held up. Fortunately, I was able to keep the Ferraris behind.