Antonelli claims Italian Grand Prix victory from 19th on the grid
MONZA: In one of the most remarkable drives of the 2026 Formula 1 season, Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli achieved a stunning comeback victory at Monza, rising from 19th on the grid to win his home race. The 20-year-old’s triumph marks the first time an Italian driver has won the Italian Grand Prix since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966, dramatically stretching his championship lead over team-mate George Russell.
The race began with surprise pole-sitter Pierre Gasly making a clean break into the first chicane, while tension erupted directly behind him between the two Ferraris. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton went wheel-to-wheel, with Hamilton being forced wide into the gravel trap and tumbling down to eighth position.
The action was halted almost immediately on Lap 2 when Leclerc lost control of his Ferrari at the high-speed Parabolica corner. Running over the outer curb while defending against McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, the rear snapped out, sending Leclerc spinning into a heavy impact against the tyre barriers. Though Leclerc walked away unharmed, the incident caused severe car damage and triggered an immediate red flag to repair the safety barriers.
Once the race resumed via a standing restart, Antonelli—who was forced to start 19th following an engine-related penalty—began carving through the field with blistering pace on hard tyres. By Lap 12, he had executed precision overtakes on Gasly, Hamilton, and Piastri to surge into fourth place.
Up front, Max Verstappen had momentarily overtaken Russell for the lead on Lap 12, but Russell fought back to reclaim the top spot three laps later. Antonelli trailed closely, slicing past Verstappen’s Red Bull on Lap 16 to turn the front of the race into a Mercedes 1-2.
The turning point occurred mid-race during a Virtual Safety Car period triggered by hydraulic failures for Aston Martin. Mercedes opted for a split strategy: Antonelli was called in for a fresh set of medium tyres, whereas Russell remained on track on aging hard compound tyres.
Equipped with superior grip, Antonelli closed a significant gap on his team-mate during the closing stint. Despite a brief moment through the gravel while mounting an attack, Antonelli finalized the pass for the lead on Lap 50 at the first chicane as Russell ran out of tyre life. Antonelli held on across the final three laps to seal an emotional home victory ahead of Russell, with Verstappen completing the podium in third.
Top 10 Race Classification
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
- Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)
- Franco Colapinto (Williams)
- Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)
