The Monza weekend that began with a shock in qualifying continued to deliver another astonishing outcome on Sunday, as Italy's rising talent Kimi Antonelli secured a spectacular second-place finish that will forever be etched in Formula 1 lore. Unlike the surprise pole-sitter Pierre Gasly, who achieved his first front‑row start after 190 attempts in mostly midfield machinery, the 20‑year‑old Antonelli has already become a regular fixture at the front of the grid this season.
Sunday marked the seventh win for the Mercedes driver, further extending his championship lead from 59 points to a joint season‑high of 66 points. What makes the victory even more remarkable is that Antonelli started from the 19th spot – the second‑lowest starting position ever to claim a win in the sport's 76‑year history – and still managed to outpace his teammate and main title rival George Russell, who began the race from the front row. The triumph also ended a six‑decade drought for an Italian driver winning his home Grand Prix, a milestone that added a deep emotional layer to the achievement.
Martin Brundle, a veteran commentator who has raced alongside many of the sport's legends, dubbed Antonelli "King Kimi" in the aftermath of his stunning performance. Nico Rosberg, the 2016 world champion and Sky Sports F1 analyst, was equally effusive. "The race he drove, the first lap, the second start – everything was flawless," Rosberg said. "His speed, his composure, the way he managed the car – you could not have asked for a better drive.
He's only in his second F1 season and just turned 20. Who does that?
It's simply unheard of!" Before the race, many pundits, including Rosberg, doubted that a podium was within Antonelli's reach from the penultimate row of the grid. The young Italian himself had dismissed those expectations after qualifying. Yet the race unfolded in a way that surprised even the most skeptical observers.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff admitted that he had anticipated a close battle between his two drivers. "I thought one of the Mercedes drivers would win – either George because he was on pole for the restart, or Kimi because he was going to walk on water here at Monza. I felt that yesterday as well," Wolff recalled.
He explained that he sensed a "special moment" for Antonelli on his home track, noting that the driver's energy, mindset, and behavior indicated a clear mission to win. Wolff also mentioned a conversation he had with Antonelli's father the day before, which reinforced his belief that the youngster was poised for something extraordinary. "These are the moments when you can see a weekend shaping itself through the sessions, and a special moment could emerge.
It's still a mechanical sport, so things can change quickly," Wolff added. The victory was not solely a product of skill; a dose of luck also played a part. A red‑flag situation after Charles Leclerc's dramatic lap‑two crash gave Antonelli a second chance to climb the order more rapidly than a normal race would have allowed.
Although the interruption disrupted Mercedes' original plan to run Antonelli on a long stint of hard tyres, it created an opening that the young driver seized. When the race resumed, Antonelli was already in 12th place. He gained four positions on the restart lap, and by lap 13 he was directly behind Russell in third.
After Pierre Gasly's early challenge faded, the two Mercedes drivers engaged in a fierce duel from lap 16 onward, swapping the lead almost lap by lap. Eventually, Antonelli settled into second place as the battle steadied. A well‑timed Virtual Safety Car later gave him the opportunity to pit for fresh medium tyres, while Russell stayed out on older hard compounds, hoping to stretch his stint to the finish.
Wolff admitted that at the time it was unclear which strategy would prevail, but he believed Antonelli's overtaking prowess made the difference. "The differentiator today was his ability to navigate traffic," Wolff said.
"We've seen that trait in great drivers before – Lewis Hamilton showed it in several races, and Antonelli demonstrated it today. When a driver and a car become one, nothing can stop them." Antonelli himself described his mindset on Sunday morning as mentally strong, confident that a strong result – at least a podium – was within reach. "After the red flag I was already P12 and I had another start," he explained. "A few laps later I was in the top five and I realized I could fight for the win.
It was very difficult to break away, but we managed to pull it off and bring it home." Looking ahead, the Formula 1 calendar moves to Madrid for the Spanish Grand Prix at the brand‑new Madring circuit. All sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 starting this Friday, with streaming available through NOW – no contract required and cancel anytime.