Kimi Antonelli produced one of the drives of the 2026 Formula 1 season to win his home Italian Grand Prix at Monza after starting all the way down in 19th position.
The Mercedes championship leader carved his way through the field in a remarkable recovery drive, eventually beating teammate George Russell to victory in front of an ecstatic home crowd. Max Verstappen completed the podium in third.
Antonelli’s chances of victory appeared extremely slim before the race after an engine penalty dropped him to 19th on the grid. However, the Italian made rapid progress through the field and was already fighting his way towards the front when the race was turned on its head by an early red flag following Charles Leclerc’s crash.
After the restart, Antonelli continued his charge and worked his way into the battle for the lead. A well timed strategy and strong tyre management put him in position to challenge Russell, setting up a tense battle between the two Mercedes drivers.
Russell had looked set to take a valuable victory and close the gap in the championship, but Antonelli had other ideas. With fresher tyres in the closing stages, the young Italian launched his attack and made the decisive move on his teammate with only a few laps remaining.
From there, Antonelli held his nerve to cross the line and complete one of the most memorable victories of his Formula 1 career.
The win was also a historic moment for Italian motorsport, with Antonelli becoming the first Italian driver to win the Italian Grand Prix since 1966. Doing it at Monza after starting 19th made the moment even more special for the home fans.
Russell finished second to complete a Mercedes one two, while Verstappen secured third for Red Bull. Lando Norris finished fourth ahead of Oscar Piastri, with Lewis Hamilton taking sixth for Ferrari.
The victory further strengthened Antonelli’s position at the top of the Drivers’ Championship. Instead of Russell cutting into his lead, Antonelli extended his advantage to 66 points after another huge afternoon for the Mercedes star.
From 19th on the grid to victory at his home race, Kimi Antonelli delivered a Monza drive that will be remembered for years to come.
