Rain man Antonelli clinches first F2 win in dominant style

©Prema

A supreme Andrea Kimi Antonelli defeated his rivals and the elements at Silverstone on Saturday to clinch his first win in the FIA Formula 2 Championship.

The Prema Racing and Mercedes junior delivered a masterclass despite the treacherous and wet conditions, the 17-year-old launching his race from pole – a position he had inherited on the reverse grid after qualifying P10 on Friday – and making the most of the rolling start to lead the field and never look back.

Zane Maloney finished second for Rodin Motorsport, more than 8 seconds behind Antonelli, while Invicta Racing’s Gabriel Bortoleto made a final corner pass on teammate Kush Maini to finish P3.

“Got my first win, really happy with the result,” commented Antonelli. “It was a difficult race in difficult conditions, but we managed pretty well and I’m really happy to bring home the first win of the season.”

It was a well-timed win for the young Italian who is in the running for a promotion to F1 with Mercedes next season. There’s no doubt that Toto Wolff will have been delighted with his protégé’s commanding victory.

©Formula2