Kimi Antonelli etched his name into Formula 1 lore with a stunning victory at the Italian Grand Prix, overcoming a 19th-place grid start to become the sport’s first Italian winner on home soil in 60 years. The Mercedes driver took command at Monza on Sunday, extending his championship lead to a season-high 66 points over rival George Russell.
The win marked the seventh of the season for the 20-year-old, adding to an impressive second campaign. While Pierre Gasly secured a surprise pole position, Antonelli’s race result was even more improbable, ranking as the second-lowest grid position from which a driver has ever won an F1 race in its 76-year history.
Pundits heaped praise on the teenager, with Martin Brundle dubbing him “King Kimi” for his dominant performance. Former world champion Nico Rosberg called the drive “unheard of,” noting that Antonelli managed every aspect of the restart and race pace with perfection.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff admitted he had anticipated a win for one of his drivers, even if not necessarily from such a deep grid position. “I thought either George or Kimi is going to win,” Wolff revealed. “I felt Kimi was going to walk over water here in Monza. I sensed a special moment was possible.”
Antonelli’s path to the front was aided by a red flag triggered by Charles Leclerc’s second-lap crash. Already running 12th when the session was halted, the Italian gained four places on the restart and moved into the top five within laps. A later pit stop under a virtual safety car allowed him to switch to fresher medium tyres, securing a crucial advantage over Russell, who remained on worn hard compounds.
Wolff credited Antonelli’s ability to navigate heavy traffic as the key differentiator, comparing his skill to that of Lewis Hamilton. “There’s just no stopping when a driver and a car are one,” Wolff said. Antonelli described himself as feeling “very good mentally” heading into the race, noting that the restart transformed his outlook from targeting a podium to challenging for the win.
Formula 1 now heads to the new Madring circuit for the Spanish Grand Prix, with all sessions broadcast live on Sky Sports F1.
Wolff really saw this coming. Antonelli is clearly the leader of Mercedes now, not Russell. Great move by the team.
Second lowest grid start to win an F1 race? The statistics are completely unbelievable. What a talent!
King Kimi or just lucky? Red flags and VSCs made that race way too easy for him. Not entirely deserved.
That restart drive was absolutely insane. How does a twenty-year-old stay so calm under such pressure?
Finally! An Italian at the top of the podium in Monza. I am crying tears of joy right now.