Kimi Antonelli storms from 19th to win Italian Grand Prix in stunning upset
Kimi Antonelli, starting 19th for Mercedes, surged through the field at Monza to claim victory, marking the first Italian home win since 1966.
At the Italian Grand Prix, Kimi Antonelli started 19th on the grid for Mercedes and executed 26 overtakes to secure a historic victory, the first by an Italian driver at his home race since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966. After a red-flag caused by Charles Leclerc’s crash, Antonelli quickly moved from 12th to the front, eventually out-pacing George Russell and Max Verstappen in a three-way battle. Despite a brief slip into the gravel, he recovered and passed Russell on the final laps, prompting praise from Toto Wolff, who highlighted Antonelli’s disciplined approach.
Engineer Peter Bonnington had projected an eighth-place finish, underscoring how the result exceeded team expectations. The win reshapes the championship picture, leaving Russell with a larger points gap and Hamilton out of title contention.
Why it matters
The upset win reshapes the F1 championship race and highlights a new talent challenging established leaders.
How this story developed
- Sep 6 Charles Leclerc crashes at 160 mph on Monza, race halted
- Sep 6 Kimi Antonelli surged past teammate George Russell in the final laps to win the Italian Grand Prix after starting 19th.
- Sep 6 The race was red‑flagged following Leclerc’s crash.
- Sep 7 Hamilton admits his title hopes have faded after the Monza defeat.
In this story
Related stories
5 in this thread