Kimi Antonelli Claims Stunning Italian Grand Prix Victory from 19th on Grid
The 2026 Italian Grand Prix delivered a remarkable afternoon at Monza, headlined by Kimi Antonelli’s extraordinary comeback drive to win his home race for the first time. Starting 19th after a 30-place grid penalty for power unit changes, the Mercedes rookie produced a masterclass in race craft to deny teammate George Russell and extend his championship lead.
Antonelli’s Masterful Charge Through the Field
What began as a damage-limitation weekend for Antonelli transformed into a statement performance. After sweeping power unit changes triggered a hefty grid penalty, the Italian blended raw pace with intelligent overtaking to surge through the order. He reached 12th within the opening laps before a red flag — prompted by Charles Leclerc’s heavy crash — reset the race.
Following the restart, Antonelli worked his way into the points and mounted a challenge for the lead on Lap 18. A mid-race Virtual Safety Car proved pivotal: Antonelli pitted for fresh medium tyres while Russell stayed out on used hards. The strategy call, combined with Antonelli’s underlying speed, proved decisive. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff declared afterwards that “nothing would have stopped him” from taking the chequered flag first.
The victory extends Antonelli’s championship advantage to 66 points over Russell, leaving him just nine points shy of a three-win cushion. The British driver faces a mounting challenge to halt the youngster’s march toward the 2026 title in the remaining rounds.
Ferrari’s Home Nightmare Unfolds in Dramatic Fashion
While Antonelli celebrated, Ferrari endured a disastrous weekend in front of the Tifosi. The Scuderia arrived with genuine optimism: Lewis Hamilton admitted on Thursday he “strongly believed” in the team’s victory chances with an engine upgrade planned, while Charles Leclerc targeted a “very special weekend”.
Qualifying strategy errors left the pair fourth and fifth — promoted to third and fourth after Oscar Piastri’s penalty — but Sunday’s race unravelled immediately. Leclerc and Hamilton went wheel-to-wheel into the second corner, with Hamilton running wide into the gravel and dropping down the order. “Charles pushed me off!” the seven-time champion radioed.
One lap later, Leclerc’s race ended in the barriers. The Monegasque later explained he “had to go back off and on throttle” during the first tour and would “look into” the cause. Hamilton recovered to sixth but labelled the afternoon “a bit devastating” and “tough to swallow”, adding of the early clash: “I ended up P10 or something. There’s not really much to say. We’ll take it offline.”
Gasly Stuns Monza with Maiden Pole Position
Saturday’s qualifying produced the season’s biggest surprise as Pierre Gasly secured his first Formula 1 pole position for Alpine. Six years after his maiden victory at the same circuit, the Frenchman maximised the Mercedes power unit to top both Q1 and Q3.
“I’m so happy. It’s been nine years [in F1] trying to chase and get the opportunity to take pole position,” Gasly said. “I won my first race in Monza, and to get my first pole position on this track… I think is something special around here.”
Holding the lead over 53 laps against faster machinery proved impossible, but Gasly led the opening lap and circulated among the frontrunners before finishing seventh, 27 seconds behind Antonelli. Teammate Franco Colapinto claimed ninth after running as high as third post-restart, recovering from an off at Lesmo 1 to pass Yuki Tsunoda late on. Alpine narrowed the gap to Racing Bulls in the battle for fifth in the constructors’ standings to 13 points.
Lightning McQueen Steals the Pre-Race Spotlight
The Tifosi were treated to a spectacle before lights out, as Lightning McQueen made a special appearance to mark the 20th anniversary of Disney and Pixar’s Cars. The animated icon completed an honorary lap alongside a Cars-themed Safety Car, continuing the collaboration between Disney and Formula 1.
Liam Lawson, a vocal fan of the franchise, visited McQueen during the weekend and received his own Piston Cup. Italian singer Laura Pausini also energised the crowd with a Grid Gigs performance ahead of the drivers’ parade.
Duerksen Dominates F2 as Lacorte Claims Emotional F3 Win
Support races delivered further drama. Joshua Duerksen completed a Monza sweep for Invicta Racing, winning both the Sprint and Feature races to equal the F2 record of eight career victories. Teammate Rafael Camara finished second in the Feature, with Campos Racing’s Noel Leon third. The results lift Duerksen to eighth in the championship, while Camara’s podium closes the gap to leader Nikola Tsolov, who holds an 11-point advantage heading to Madrid next weekend.
In F3, Italy’s Nicola Lacorte claimed a breakthrough maiden victory for DAMS Lucas Oil on home soil. The 19-year-old advanced from third on the grid to secure his team’s first F3 win. MP Motorsport’s Tuukka Taponen and ART Grand Prix’s Taito Kato completed the podium. Championship contender Freddie Slater retired with a suspected mechanical issue, allowing rival Ugo Ugochukwu to finish eighth from the back and cut the deficit to 15 points with the title to be decided in Madrid.
