SportyTV | Antonelli earns dream Italian Grand Prix win with remarkable recovery drive

Kimi Antonelli surged from 19th to become the first home winner of the Italian Grand Prix in 60 years, edging out Mercedes team-mate George Russell to cap a chaotic race.

A penalty for exceeding power-unit component limits dropped Antonelli to the back of the grid ahead of Sunday's race at Monza, which was thrown into chaos following a huge crash involving Charles Leclerc early on.

Right at the end of the second lap, Leclerc drifted onto the gravel after making contact with fellow Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton, almost taking out Oscar Piastri in the process, before swerving into the barrier amid clouds of smoke.

Leclerc was cleared following a subsequent medical check, though the race was red-flagged with pole-sitter Pierre Gasly having dropped behind Russell at the front.

Upon the restart, Max Verstappen quickly made up ground on Russell and took the lead on lap 12, while Antonelli was making real progress behind the pacesetters as he charged into third.

And only six laps later, the Italian was in front, with Verstappen complaining about a damaged rear axle over team radio following a back-and-forth battle between the Dutchman and Russell.

The two Mercedes drivers were determined to race as the lead changed hands again, and though Russell avoided any punishment over a yellow flag infringement, the momentum was with Antonelli when he pitted during a virtual safety car and his team-mate did not.

Antonelli ultimately retook the lead on the 50th lap and took the chequered flag 3.857 seconds before Russell, stretching his lead in the drivers' championship to 66 points.

Verstappen joined the Mercedes duo on the podium ahead of the McLarens of Lando Norris and Piastri, while Hamilton was sixth as Ferrari endured a dismal weekend at their home track and Gasly placed seventh.

DAL FONDO DELLA GRIGLIA ALLA P1

Le parole non rendono giustizia a questa cosa.

MONZA, QUESTA È PER TE

FROM THE BACK OF THE GRID TO P1

Words don’t do this one justice.

MONZA, THIS IS FOR YOU pic.twitter.com/CLME4AA8gy
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) September 6, 2026

Stunning fightback from Antonelli

Antonelli's dream success came from 19th on the grid – the second-furthest back any driver has started when recovering to win a grand prix in F1 history.

The furthest back was John Watson at the 1983 USA West Grand Prix, when he started 22nd.

He is also the first Italian victor at Monza since Ferrari's Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966. Before that, you have to go back to 1952 for a home winner, as Alberto Ascari earned his second straight success for the Scuderia.

Antonelli also has 11 podium finishes for the season, marking the first time Italian drivers have had 11 in a single year since 1989, when they had 13 split between Riccardo Patrese (six), Alessando Nannini (four), Michele Alboreto, Stefano Modena and Andrea de Cesaris (one each).

TOP 10

1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)

2. George Russell (Mercedes)

3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

4. Lando Norris (McLaren)

5. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)

7. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

8. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)

9. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)

10. Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls)

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS