Kimi Antonelli has etched his name into Formula 1 history, joining an elite group of drivers who have converted a lowly grid slot into a grand prix victory. The Mercedes rookie achieved the feat in stunning fashion on home soil at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix, surging from 19th on the grid to claim the top step of the podium at Monza.
Antonelli’s drive continues a rich tradition of comeback victories. Here is a look back at the other drivers who stared at a sea of rear wings on the starting grid only to greet the chequered flag first.
8. Michael Schumacher — 1995 Belgian Grand Prix (Started 16th)
Michael Schumacher amassed 91 grand prix wins during his illustrious career, but none came from lower than 16th on the grid. At Spa-Francorchamps in 1995, the German sliced through the field during a phase that saw early leader David Coulthard retire. A strategic gamble on slick tyres as rain arrived proved decisive.
Schumacher moved into the lead and produced a masterclass in defensive driving, holding off a frustrated Damon Hill on wet-weather tyres despite his own inferior rubber. The Williams driver eventually forced a pass, only to spin moments later. Hill returned to the pits for slicks on a drying track, but the timing backfired as the rain returned with intensity. Both men switched back to wets, but Hill’s challenge evaporated due to a pit-lane speeding penalty, handing Schumacher a clear run to victory.
7. Kimi Räikkönen — 2005 Japanese Grand Prix (Started 17th)
Qualifying at Suzuka took place in changeable conditions during the era of single-lap qualifying, leaving the usual front-runners scattered down the order. Newly crowned champion Fernando Alonso lined up 16th, with Kimi Räikkönen one place further back in 17th.
The race developed into a frenetic spectacle featuring spectacular wheel-to-wheel action. Räikkönen and Alonso carved through the pack, with the McLaren driver leading the charge. A late refuelling stop placed Räikkönen on the tail of Alonso’s Renault teammate, Giancarlo Fisichella. He hunted down the Italian in the closing stages and, on the final lap, seized the outside line to sweep past Fisichella for a remarkable comeback win.
6. Max Verstappen — 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix (Started 17th)
After winning seven of the opening ten rounds in 2024, Max Verstappen endured a 10-race winless streak that saw his championship lead over Lando Norris gradually erode. Qualifying in Brazil was postponed to Sunday morning due to weather, and a disrupted session left Verstappen 12th in classification; a power-unit penalty dropped him to 17th on the grid, effectively a net 15th after two cars ahead failed to start.
From there, the Dutchman delivered a masterclass in treacherous conditions. He carved through the field before a mid-race red flag allowed a free switch to fresh wet tyres. Though still behind Esteban Ocon at the restart, Verstappen overhauled the Alpine within a handful of laps and streaked to victory by nearly 20 seconds — a drive that all but sealed a fourth consecutive world title.
5. John Watson — 1982 Detroit Grand Prix (Started 17th)
John Watson qualified only 17th for Formula 1’s inaugural visit to the streets of Detroit, a weekend marred by organisational issues and tricky conditions. Opting for the harder tyre compound proved a tactical masterstroke.
Watson dispatched rivals with aplomb, highlighted by a stunning trio of overtakes on a single lap — one on teammate Niki Lauda. He quickly reeled in and passed an ailing Keke Rosberg before pulling away to a comfortable victory. Remarkably, this was not even Watson’s lowest-starting win.
4. Rubens Barrichello — 2000 German Grand Prix (Started 18th)
A chaotic qualifying session left Rubens Barrichello down in 18th, but the Brazilian made immediate amends, blasting his Ferrari past rivals on the long, full-throttle straights of the old Hockenheim layout.
A safety car period — triggered by a track invader — bunched the field, and a McLaren communication mix-up elevated Barrichello to second behind Mika Häkkinen. When rain arrived, Häkkinen pitted for wet tyres, but Barrichello stayed out on slicks. With the vast circuit only partially damp, the dry sections allowed him to maintain pace and secure a remarkable maiden victory after seven seasons in the sport.
3. Bill Vukovich — 1954 Indianapolis 500 (Started 19th)
During the 1950s, the Indianapolis 500 counted toward the World Championship, yet few Formula 1 regulars contested the event, making these races historical outliers. Bill Vukovich was a specialist at the Brickyard, winning in 1953 and 1954.
For his second triumph, Vukovich started 19th and worked his way forward to claim victory, though this remains shy of the Indy 500 record of wins from 28th on the grid. Tragically, Vukovich lost his life in an accident while leading the following year’s race.
2. Kimi Antonelli — 2026 Italian Grand Prix (Started 19th)
Reliability issues earlier in 2026 placed Kimi Antonelli on course for a grid penalty for exceeding his power-unit component allocation. Mercedes elected to take the hit strategically at Monza.
Antonelli started 19th after Liam Lawson and Fernando Alonso opted for pit-lane starts. He was running 12th when the race was red-flagged for Charles Leclerc’s accident. At the restart, Antonelli vaulted to eighth and rapidly picked off rivals, swapping the lead with teammate George Russell. A mid-race pit stop dropped him back, but superior pace and fresher tyres allowed him to hunt down the lead once more. He survived a late scare after a mistake exiting the first chicane to hold on for a historic maiden win on home soil.
1. John Watson — 1983 United States Grand Prix West (Started 22nd)
The lowest grid slot ever converted into a Formula 1 victory belongs to John Watson at Long Beach in 1983. McLaren was competitive in race trim but struggled for one-lap pace on the bumpy street circuit, leaving Watson and Lauda 22nd and 23rd respectively — four seconds off pole.
Hampered by poor qualifying tyre performance, the McLarens came alive on race day. In an attritional contest, both drivers sliced through the field, gaining positions through overtaking and rival misfortunes. Such was the M23’s race pace that Watson crossed the line almost half a minute clear of Lauda, with only René Arnoux’s Ferrari — over a minute adrift — remaining on the lead lap.
