Italian GP 2026: Antonelli Wins From P19 in Incredible Monza Comeback
Kimi Antonelli: P19 to P1
Where else could we possibly start? Kimi Antonelli. Coming into Sunday, winning the Italian Grand Prix looked incredibly unlikely. Antonelli had been hit with a back-of-the-grid penalty after taking new power-unit components. That left the championship leader starting all the way down in 19th position. At Monza. At his home Grand Prix. With thousands of Italian fans watching. The pressure could have been enormous. Instead, Antonelli produced an incredible recovery drive. He worked his way through the field, made the overtakes he needed to make and gradually transformed his race from damage limitation into a genuine fight for victory and when the opportunity came? He took it.
Disaster for Ferrari
While Antonelli was beginning his charge through the field, Ferrari's home Grand Prix quickly turned into a nightmare. Charles Leclerc had started third and was expected to be right in the fight at the front but on Lap 2, while under pressure from Oscar Piastri, Leclerc lost control at the final corner and suffered a heavy crash. Thankfully, Charles was able to get out of the car and was later cleared following a medical check. The accident brought out the red flag and stopped the race. For Ferrari and the Tifosi, though, it was devastating. One of their biggest hopes of a home victory was gone almost immediately.
The Red Flag Changes the Race
Leclerc's accident resulted in a lengthy delay while repairs were carried out. When racing eventually resumed, George Russell was in a fantastic position. Russell had looked quick throughout the entire Monza weekend. He topped FP2. He topped FP3. He qualified second and now he had a genuine opportunity to win the Italian Grand Prix. For a while, it looked like everything was going Russell's way. There was just one problem. His teammate was coming. Fast.
Antonelli vs Russell
This became the battle of the race. Antonelli continued climbing through the field until suddenly the driver who had started 19th was in contention for the win. A Virtual Safety Car created an important strategic opportunity. Antonelli stopped and emerged with fresher tyres, while Russell remained out on older rubber. That gave Kimi the advantage he needed. The gap started coming down and eventually, the two Mercedes drivers were fighting for the Italian Grand Prix victory. Antonelli briefly went through the gravel during their battle, and for a moment it looked like his chance might have disappeared. It hadn't. He recovered. He came back at Russell and with only a handful of laps remaining, Antonelli made the move. Kimi Antonelli was leading the Italian Grand Prix. From P19. At home. What a moment.
Antonelli Wins at Monza
Antonelli crossed the line to take an extraordinary victory. George Russell finished second, around four seconds behind his teammate. It completed a Mercedes one-two at Monza but this was Antonelli's day. Starting 19th and winning a Formula 1 race is impressive anywhere. Doing it at your home Grand Prix is something else entirely and there was history attached to it too. Antonelli became the first Italian driver in 60 years to win the Italian Grand Prix, ending a wait stretching back to Ludovico Scarfiotti's victory in 1966. That's the sort of achievement Antonelli will remember for the rest of his career.
Verstappen Completes the Podium
Behind the Mercedes battle, Max Verstappen brought his Red Bull home in third. Red Bull's weekend hadn't started brilliantly. Verstappen struggled on Friday before showing much better pace in FP3 and qualifying. By race day, Max was once again in the mix. He couldn't match the Mercedes pair for the victory, but another podium is still a strong result.
McLaren Finish P4 and P5
McLaren leave Monza with both cars inside the top five. Lando Norris finished fourth, ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri in fifth. Piastri had already experienced a dramatic weekend after qualifying third before receiving a three-place grid penalty for impeding Liam Lawson. That meant he started sixth instead. After being involved in the early fight with Leclerc and navigating the restart, Piastri eventually came home behind Norris. It's a decent haul of points for McLaren, although they'll probably leave Monza knowing there was more available.
Hamilton Salvages P6
Lewis Hamilton finished sixth for Ferrari. It was a difficult afternoon. Hamilton had started fourth and had a genuine opportunity to challenge near the front, but opening-lap trouble sent him down the order. From there, the race became about recovery. Hamilton managed to fight his way back to sixth and at least bring some points home for Ferrari but this was not the home Grand Prix Ferrari wanted. Leclerc out. Hamilton sixth. For the Tifosi, it was a painful afternoon.
From Pole to P7 for Gasly
Pierre Gasly was the hero of qualifying. Nobody expected the Alpine driver to take pole position, but Gasly produced a sensational lap on Saturday to beat Russell. Unfortunately, he couldn't turn that pole into another famous Monza victory. Gasly eventually dropped back to seventh place. It might feel disappointing after starting from pole, but the qualifying performance alone made this a memorable weekend for Gasly and Alpine.
Italian Grand Prix Top 10
The top 10 at Monza:
P1 — Kimi Antonelli — Mercedes 🏆
P2 — George Russell — Mercedes
P3 — Max Verstappen — Red Bull
P4 — Lando Norris — McLaren
P5 — Oscar Piastri — McLaren
P6 — Lewis Hamilton — Ferrari
P7 — Pierre Gasly — Alpine
P8 — Arvid Lindblad — Racing Bulls
P9 — Franco Colapinto — Alpine
P10 — Yuki Tsunoda — Racing Bulls
Mercedes leave Italy with maximum points from an incredible one-two finish.
Driver of the Day
There's only one choice for me. Kimi Antonelli and the fans agreed, voting Antonelli the official Driver of the Day. What else could he have done? Start 19th. Fight through the field. Use the strategy to his advantage. Battle your championship rival and teammate. Take the lead in the closing stages. Win your home Grand Prix. It was an incredible performance.
A Huge Championship Result
This result could also have major consequences for the World Championship. Before the race, Antonelli's penalty looked like a huge opportunity for George Russell. Russell was starting on the front row. Antonelli was 19th. Surely Russell was going to take a massive chunk out of Kimi's championship advantage?Instead, Antonelli won. His seventh victory of the season means he now holds a 66-point advantage over Russell in the championship. That's a massive turnaround from where these two drivers started the afternoon and when we reach the end of the season, Monza could be one of those races we look back on as a defining moment in the championship.
A Victory Italy Has Waited 60 Years For
There's also something bigger than points and championships about this victory. Antonelli is Italian. This is Monza and an Italian driver hadn't won the Italian Grand Prix for 60 years. Until today. Thousands of Italian fans arrived hoping to celebrate a Ferrari victory. Instead, they witnessed one of their own produce an incredible drive from almost the back of the grid to win. Antonelli has now written his name into Monza history.
Final Thoughts
The 2026 Italian Grand Prix had just about everything. A shock polesitter. Ferrari heartbreak. A red flag. Strategy. Overtaking. A battle between Mercedes teammates and an incredible comeback from the championship leader. Kimi Antonelli started P19 and finished P1. George Russell takes second. Max Verstappen finishes third and Mercedes walk away from Monza with a one-two. For Antonelli, though, this was about much more than another victory. He won at home. He ended a 60-year wait for an Italian winner of the Italian Grand Prix and he strengthened his position at the top of the World Championship. What a weekend. What a comeback and what a way to win at Monza. Was this Kimi Antonelli's best Formula 1 drive so far? and after extending his championship lead... Can anyone stop Antonelli from becoming the 2026 World Champion? Let me know what you think and stay tuned to On the Pit Wall for more Formula 1 news, race reactions and analysis.
Lights out, and let's get into it.
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