Antonelli: Being Lifted onto Shoulders on the Podium Was a Surprise

Kimi Antonelli, a driver for the Mercedes team, became the youngest Formula 1 world champion on Sunday at the Mexican Grand Prix. He finished third in the race, the top level of single-seater motorsport, and secured the title at the age of 20 years and 68 days. In doing so he broke Sebastian Vettel's long-standing age record.

After the race he stood on the podium with winner Max Verstappen and runner-up Lewis Hamilton. The two experienced drivers suddenly lifted the new champion onto their shoulders, and Antonelli named this moment the most emotional of the entire weekend.

A surprise on the podium

Speaking on the Nu Silver Arrows Radio Show, Antonelli said the gesture was completely unexpected. According to him, it made the calm demeanour he had kept throughout the season disappear.

"This moment on the podium is one of those memories that will stay with me forever," the driver said. He stressed that receiving respect and recognition from two competitors who have shaped the history of the sport and still race at the highest level is something special.

"I will always be grateful for what they did, lifting me up on the podium. It was a complete surprise to me," Antonelli said. When they lifted him, in his own words, very strong emotions overwhelmed him.

A memory on the wall

Antonelli does not plan to keep the moment only in his phone's photo gallery. Smiling, he said he would frame the photograph and hang it on the wall, because it is a very special memory.

The source describes the episode as a symbol of a generational change in Formula 1. Verstappen and Hamilton have competed at the top level of motorsport for roughly a decade, while Antonelli is only 20 years old.