Italy: Antonelli stuns Monza with from-back win

Monza, Sept 7:

Kimi Antonelli produced one of the most remarkable comeback drives of the Formula One season, charging from 19th on the grid to win his home Italian Grand Prix at Monza on Sunday.

The 20-year-old Mercedes driver overcame an engine-related grid penalty and passed teammate and championship rival George Russell in the closing stages to claim his first Italian Grand Prix victory.

Antonelli started from the back after being penalised following qualifying, while Russell began on the front row. What followed was a remarkable climb through the field as the Italian used aggressive overtaking, strong race pace and effective strategy to move rapidly towards the front.

A Virtual Safety Car proved important in the strategic battle. Antonelli took advantage of the caution to pit for fresh medium tyres, while Russell stayed out on used hard tyres. As the race progressed, Russell’s tyres began to lose performance.

Antonelli had already fought his way into contention before taking the lead on Lap 18. He later came under pressure but maintained control through the closing stages, despite briefly running through the gravel while attacking Russell.

Russell finished second, 3.857 seconds behind his Mercedes teammate, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen completed the podium.

Lando Norris finished fourth for McLaren, ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton was sixth after an eventful race. Charles Leclerc crashed heavily at the final corner early in the race and failed to finish.

Antonelli’s victory was historic for Italian motorsport. He became the first Italian driver to win at Monza since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966, ending a six-decade wait for a home-grown winner at the famous circuit.

The 53-lap race also strengthened Antonelli’s position at the top of the 2026 championship. His latest victory extended his advantage over Russell to 66 points after 13 rounds.

The result further underlined Antonelli’s rapid emergence as one of Formula One’s leading young drivers. Starting last and finishing first at one of the sport’s most demanding circuits could prove to be one of the defining performances of his title campaign.

Formula One now moves directly to Madrid for the Spanish Grand Prix from September 11 to 13.