Printed On 6 Sep 2026
Championship chief Kimi Antonelli has delivered probably the most sensational triumphs within the lengthy historical past of the Italian Grand Prix by turning into the primary dwelling winner in 60 years after ranging from nineteenth on the grid.
The 20-year-old Mercedes driver, from close by Emilia-Romagna, claimed his seventh win of the season on Sunday to increase his lead within the drivers’ title race as he seeks to develop into Italy’s first world champion since Ferrari’s Alberto Ascari in 1953.
He’s the primary home winner of the Italian GP since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966.
In an exhilarating, helter-skelter race of untamed overtaking strikes, Antonelli got here dwelling 3.857 seconds forward of his teammate and title rival George Russell, who’s now 66 factors adrift within the championship, with four-time champion Max Verstappen third for Crimson Bull.
For the impassioned Italian crowd, his win was some comfort for his or her disappointment in seeing Ferrari endure a disappointing flop with Charles Leclerc crashing out on lap two, and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton ending sixth behind the McLaren pair of world champion Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Antonelli had began behind the grid after taking penalties for power-unit adjustments, however confirmed searing tempo all through as he carved by way of the sphere – benefitting from an early pink flag stoppage – earlier than outracing Russell to win.
“Unbelievable!” stated an emotional Antonelli.
“I’m so completely happy, I may by no means have imagined being right here in the present day, however we pulled it off.
“After the second restart, I knew I used to be up there and will have had a shot on the win.
“I believed in it, particularly once I was behind George, nevertheless it was actually troublesome to interrupt away with the tow being so sturdy.”
Alpine’s maiden pole-sitter Pierre Gasly completed seventh forward of Racing Bulls’ rookie Arvid Lindblad, Franco Colapinto within the second Alpine, and Yuki Tsunoda of Racing Bulls.
“Big congratulations to Kimi, an unimaginable consequence from him,” stated Russell of Antonelli’s win.
“I knew he was going to be within the combine once I noticed he was P5 and P4 on the leaderboard in the beginning… I used to be struggling on the tyres, however I’d have cherished to be P1 in the present day.”
Ferrari fail
The race began in dramatic vogue when Hamilton was compelled off by teammate Leclerc.
The Monegasque, who’s a two-time winner at Monza, then misplaced management on the exit of the Parabolica on the finish of lap two, going straight into the gravel and flying side-on into the tyre limitations.
Leclerc stepped out of the automobile, trying winded however in any other case unharmed.
The race was red-flagged with Russell within the lead, having overtaken pole-sitter Pierre Gasly of Alpine.
Antonelli, who started behind the sphere in nineteenth after exceeding the permitted variety of power-unit adjustments, had already moved his method as much as twelfth. As soon as the race restarted, he continued to choose his method by way of the sphere.
On lap 18, he hit the entrance for the primary time, however that was the beginning of a determined dogfight with Russell.
Antonelli benefited from a “free” tyre change throughout a digital security automobile on lap 29, popping out on a contemporary set of mediums whereas Russell was not noted on monitor together with his onerous tyres.
A 15-second lead rapidly evaporated, and after a botched overtaking effort on lap 49, Antonelli lastly slipped previous Russell a lap later and eased his method by way of the ultimate three laps to take the chequered flag.
