Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli shines again but George Russell endures tumultuous Monaco Grand Prix

Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli made Formula 1 history by becoming the youngest-ever driver to win the Monaco Grand Prix.

Against the odds, the Brackley-based Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team made it six wins out of six on a rollercoaster Monaco weekend.

Race winner Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Toto Wolff on the podium after the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco. (Photo by Joe Portlock/Getty Images)

placeholder image — Race winner Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Toto Wolff on the podium after the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco. (Photo by Joe Portlock/Getty Images)

The Silver Arrows were widely predicted to suffer a setback in Monaco due to the iconic circuit’s low-speed corners favouring Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull.

But teenage sensation Antonelli proved Mercedes’ doubters wrong by winning a fifth successive grand prix, extending his championship lead to a mighty 66 points.

Race winner Andrea Kimi Antonelli lifts his trophy on the podium. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

In doing so, Antonelli became the youngest to ever achieve a Grand Slam – claiming pole position, leading every lap, setting the fastest lap and winning the race.

Antonelli had to work hard for the victory as he built up a 20-second lead to Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton but saw that evaporate when a first safety car was deployed.

There was then a late red flag as the race was stopped for more than 40 minutes for repairs to be made to the crumbling asphalt at the final corner, near La Rascasse.

Antonelli withled the pressure of the standing restart, putting in eight brilliant laps to hold off Hamilton and win by a comfortable six-second margin.

“It’s been an incredible win and an incredible race,” said Antonelli.

“I wasn’t super keen on restarting but once the notification came, I just gathered my emotions and re-focused again.

“Once I got away and was P1 into the first corner, I could enjoy the last few laps.”

It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for Mercedes, however, as Antonelli’s teammate George Russell had a disastrous weekend.

Having climbed to fourth from a disappointing P6 on the grid, Russell finished outside the points after receiving a drive-through penalty late on.

Russell failed to observe a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane - due to mechanics touching his car early during a stop - and the Brit paid the hefty price.

Not only has Russell fallen 68 points behind teammate Antonelli, but the former WIlliams driver has been leapfrogged by Hamilton for second in the standings.

Mercedes will be hoping for a more complete performance at the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend (June 12-14).