Kimi Antonelli delivered one of the finest recovery drives in Formula 1 history to win the 2026 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, charging from 19th on the grid to take victory in his home race.
The 20-year-old Mercedes driver became the first Italian to win the Italian Grand Prix since Ludovico Scarfiotti’s triumph in 1966, ending a 60-year wait for a home winner at the Temple of Speed.
His victory also extended his lead over Mercedes teammate George Russell to 66 points in the drivers’ championship.
Antonelli started at the back after Mercedes introduced new power-unit components that exceeded the season’s allocation.
The penalty appeared to leave him with little chance of challenging for victory, but he quickly moved through the field before the race was red-flagged following Charles Leclerc’s heavy crash at the Parabolica on the second lap.
By the time the race resumed, Antonelli had already climbed to 12th. He continued his charge after the restart, using Mercedes’ pace and Monza’s long straights to pass several rivals, including Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri.
A mid-race Virtual Safety Car then allowed him to pit for fresh medium tires, while Russell remained on older hard tires.
Russell had led for much of the race and looked set to secure another victory for Mercedes. However, his tires began to fade in the closing stages, allowing Antonelli to close a gap of more than two seconds.
Antonelli briefly ran wide while attacking his teammate, but recovered quickly and stayed within range. With three laps remaining, he made the decisive move at the first chicane to take the lead.
He crossed the finish line 3.857 seconds ahead of Russell, with Max Verstappen completing the podium for Red Bull.
Lando Norris finished fourth for McLaren, ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri, while Hamilton brought Ferrari home in sixth.
The result ended Ferrari’s hopes of winning its home race, with Leclerc retiring after his early accident.
After the race, Antonelli described the result as incredible and admitted he had not expected to be standing on the top step after starting so far back.
The victory was also the seventh of his 2026 campaign and strengthened his position at the head of the championship.
