ANTONELLI MAKES HISTORY WITH SENSATIONAL MONZA VICTORY
Kimi Antonelli produced one of the best drives of his Formula 1 career to win the Italian Grand Prix at Monza after starting from 19th on the grid. The Mercedes driver completed a remarkable comeback to beat team-mate George Russell and Max Verstappen, extending his lead in the Drivers’ Championship to 66 points.
The victory was also historic for Italy. Antonelli became the first Italian driver to win the Italian Grand Prix since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966, ending a 60-year wait for a home victory. It was also the 20-year-old’s seventh Formula 1 win and one of the biggest moments of his young career.
Antonelli started so far back because Mercedes had changed his power unit beyond the allowed limits, giving him a grid penalty. George Russell started from the front row, while Pierre Gasly began from pole position for Alpine.
The race immediately became chaotic. Gasly kept the lead at the start, while Russell moved ahead of him on the second lap. Behind them, Charles Leclerc came under pressure from Oscar Piastri and lost control of his Ferrari at the final corner. The crash brought out the red flag and stopped the race after just a few laps. Fortunately, Leclerc was able to walk away from the accident without serious injury.
The red flag gave all the drivers a chance to change tyres. Antonelli had already made an impressive start and had climbed from 19th to 12th before the stoppage. At the restart, the Italian continued his charge and quickly moved into the top 10 before becoming a serious threat to the leaders.
Russell and Verstappen then fought for the lead, with the Mercedes driver briefly losing first place before taking it back. Antonelli continued to gain positions and reached the front group in the first half of the race. By lap 18, he had passed Russell and taken the lead for the first time.
The two Mercedes drivers then spent several laps fighting for the lead. Their positions changed several times as they used their battery energy in different parts of the Monza track. Verstappen also remained close enough to put pressure on the Mercedes pair, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris stayed in the fight for the podium.
The key moment came during a Virtual Safety Car on lap 29. Antonelli stopped for a fresh set of medium tyres, while Russell stayed out. The different strategies became extremely important in the final part of the race, as Antonelli had much fresher tyres than his team-mate.
Antonelli quickly recovered after his pit stop and moved back towards the front. He passed Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri before closing the gap to Russell. With 10 laps remaining, the Italian was only around five seconds behind his team-mate and was clearly faster.
The final fight between the two Mercedes drivers came with four laps remaining. Antonelli attacked Russell at the first chicane but went slightly too deep and ran through the gravel. He kept control of the car and stayed close to Russell, setting up another attack a lap later.
This time, Antonelli made the move stick and took the lead for good. From 19th on the grid, the Italian crossed the finish line first after 53 laps, with Russell 3.857 seconds behind and Verstappen another 10.861 seconds back.
Lando Norris finished fourth, just ahead of his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri. Lewis Hamilton came home sixth for Ferrari, followed by Pierre Gasly, Arvid Lindblad, Franco Colapinto and Yuki Tsunoda.
The result was especially painful for Ferrari. Leclerc retired early after his crash, while Hamilton could only finish sixth at the team’s home race. Instead, the biggest celebration in Monza belonged to Antonelli and Mercedes, with the Italian fans celebrating a historic home victory.
The championship picture is now looking increasingly strong for Antonelli. His victory extended his advantage over Russell to 66 points, while Mercedes also strengthened its position in the Constructors’ Championship.
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