Kimi Antonelli turned what looked like a damage-limitation weekend into one of the most memorable victories of his Formula 1 career, storming from 19th on the grid to win his home Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
The Mercedes driver overtook teammate George Russell in the closing stages to take victory in a dramatic 53-lap race, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finishing third. Antonelli’s win also made him the first Italian driver in 60 years to win the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
Antonelli had started near the back after taking new power unit components that resulted in a grid penalty. His chances of winning appeared slim, particularly with Russell starting near the front. But the 20-year-old quickly began picking his way through the field, showing the pace and confidence that have made him one of Formula 1’s leading young drivers.
The race took an early dramatic turn when Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc crashed heavily on the second lap. The incident brought out the red flag and delayed the race while the barriers were repaired. Leclerc was able to walk away from the crash after medical checks, but Ferrari’s home race had already taken a major blow.
When racing resumed, Antonelli continued his charge. He had already climbed to 12th after the early stages and soon found himself fighting among the leaders. Russell had moved into first place after passing polesitter Pierre Gasly, while Verstappen also challenged for the lead.
Antonelli’s pace quickly became impossible to ignore. He overtook Verstappen and then began a close fight with Russell, with the two Mercedes cars repeatedly swapping positions. The battle was intense but remained under control, even as both drivers pushed their cars to the limit.
The decisive moment came during a Virtual Safety Car period. Antonelli pitted for fresh medium tyres, while Russell stayed out on his used hard tyres. The different strategies initially appeared to favour Russell, who retained the lead and tried to build enough of a gap to protect his position.
But as the race entered its final stages, tyre performance began to turn the contest in Antonelli’s favour. The Italian steadily closed the gap to his teammate and moved within striking distance with only a handful of laps remaining.
Antonelli briefly appeared to throw away his chance when he ran wide into the gravel while attempting to attack Russell. The mistake cost him valuable time, but he recovered quickly and continued the pursuit.
With four laps remaining, Antonelli finally made his decisive move. He passed Russell between Lesmo 2 and the Ascari chicane and immediately began pulling away. Russell had little answer as the fresher tyres gave Antonelli the advantage he needed to complete his extraordinary comeback.
Antonelli crossed the finish line 3.857 seconds ahead of Russell, securing 25 points and an emotional home victory. Verstappen finished third, 14.718 seconds behind the winner.
Behind the podium, McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri fought their own close battle. Norris eventually finished fourth, just 0.197 seconds ahead of Piastri. Lewis Hamilton recovered from a difficult opening lap to finish sixth for Ferrari, while Gasly, who had started from pole, completed the race in seventh.
The result was particularly painful for Ferrari. Leclerc’s early retirement left Hamilton as the team’s leading finisher, but sixth place was a disappointing result for the Italian outfit in front of its home crowd.
For Mercedes, however, Monza was a spectacular success. The team secured a one-two finish, with Antonelli strengthening his position at the top of the Formula 1 drivers’ championship. His victory extended his advantage over Russell to 66 points after 13 races.
The win also added another chapter to Antonelli’s rapid rise. A young Italian driver winning at Monza in a Mercedes, in front of a passionate home crowd, was already a special story. Doing it after starting 19th made the achievement even more remarkable.
The celebrations afterwards were equally memorable. Antonelli was seen enjoying spaghetti from his distinctive Monza trophy, a light-hearted moment that quickly went viral on social media. The unusual trophy had already attracted attention, but Antonelli’s decision to use it as part of his post-race celebration gave fans an image that captured the joy of his historic afternoon.
Russell, meanwhile, admitted that the split strategy during the Virtual Safety Car had surprised him. After leading for much of the race, he ultimately had to settle for second as tyre wear made it increasingly difficult to defend against Antonelli’s fresher rubber.
For Antonelli, the Italian Grand Prix was more than another Formula 1 victory. It was a statement of his championship ambitions and his ability to recover from adversity. Starting 19th and finishing first at one of the sport’s most demanding circuits required speed, patience, overtaking skill and composure.
With the championship now firmly in his hands, Antonelli heads into the next phase of the 2026 season with growing momentum. His Monza victory may be remembered not only as a landmark home win, but as one of the performances that defined his emergence as a genuine Formula 1 title contender.
