The Monza weekend, already memorable for an unlikely qualifying upset, delivered a second astonishing story on Sunday when Italy's emerging talent Kimi Antonelli clinched a dramatic win that will secure his name in Formula 1 lore. Unlike surprise pole‑sitter Pierre Gasly, who achieved his first front‑row start after 190 races in mostly midfield machinery, the 20‑year‑old Antonelli has been a regular contender at the front of the pack throughout the season. Sunday marked the seventh victory for the Mercedes driver, further extending his growing reputation in the sport and widening his championship lead to a joint‑season high of 66 points, up from a previous 59‑point advantage.
What makes the win truly remarkable is that Antonelli started from the 19th grid slot—the second‑lowest starting position ever to produce a winner in the 76‑year history of Formula 1. He not only overcame that disadvantage but also bested his teammate and chief championship rival George Russell, who had begun the race on the front row.
Adding a layer of national significance, Antonelli ended a six‑decade drought for an Italian driver winning his home Grand Prix. The spectacular comeback earned him the nickname "King Kimi" from veteran commentator Martin Brundle, whose career spans more than four decades and includes racing against many of the sport's legends.
Sky Sports F1 analyst and 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg was equally effusive after witnessing the performance. "The race he drove, the first lap, the second start—everything was flawless," Rosberg said.
"His speed, his composure, his ability to manage the car—no one could have done it better. He's in his second F1 season, just turned 20.
Who does that? It's unheard of!" Before the race, many pundits, including Rosberg, doubted Antonelli could even reach the podium from the penultimate row, a view the young Italian himself dismissed after qualifying. Yet the race unfolded in a way that surprised not only the critics but also the Mercedes camp. Team principal Toto Wolff admitted he had expected a more conventional outcome: "I thought one of the two Mercedes drivers would win—either George because he was on pole for the restart, or Kimi because he would walk on water here at Monza.
I felt that yesterday as well." Wolff, who worked alongside Lewis Hamilton for six of the Briton's seven titles, sensed a "special moment" was brewing for Antonelli on his home turf. "I've seen drivers' energy levels, mindsets, and behavior patterns for years, and I knew his mission today was to win," Wolff explained. "I even spoke with his father yesterday, and he saw it coming. These are the moments when you can feel a weekend shaping itself into something extraordinary.
Of course, it's still a mechanical sport, so anything can change in an instant." The victory was not purely a product of skill; a degree of luck also played a role. After Charles Leclerc's massive lap‑two crash prompted a red‑flag, the race was restarted, giving Antonelli a chance to recover positions more quickly than a normal race would have allowed. The interruption, however, disrupted Mercedes' original plan to start Antonelli on a long stint of hard tyres. When the red flag flew, Antonelli was already up to 12th place.
The restart saw him gain four more spots, putting him in P8. By lap 13 he was directly behind Russell in third, and after Pierre Gasly's early challenge faded, the two Mercedes drivers began swapping the lead from lap 16 onward in a fierce, lap‑by‑lap duel. Eventually the battle settled with Antonelli in second, and a well‑timed Virtual Safety Car allowed him to pit for fresh medium tyres. Russell, meanwhile, stayed out on older hard compounds, committing to finish the race on worn rubber.
Wolff later admitted that at the moment it was unclear which strategy would prove decisive, but he believed Antonelli's overtaking prowess made the difference. "The differentiator today was the ability to move through traffic," Wolff said. "We've seen that with great drivers in the past—Lewis did it in several races, and Kimi showed the same quality today. When a driver and a car become one, nothing can stop them." Antonelli reflected on his mindset after the race.
He said he woke up feeling mentally strong and confident that a strong result, at least a podium, was within reach. "After the red flag I was already P12 and got another start," he recalled.
"A few laps later I was in the top five and realized I had a shot at the win. It was extremely tough 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 from Friday on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available through NOW—no contract required and cancel anytime.