Kimi Antonelli’s Italian Grand Prix win delivered a landmark home victory at Monza on Sunday, 6 September 2026. The Mercedes driver climbed from 19th on the grid to first, passed teammate George Russell late in the race and became the first Italian to win at Monza in 60 years.
The 20-year-old finished 3.857 seconds ahead of Russell, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen third. The result increased Antonelli’s Formula One championship lead over Russell to 66 points after 13 rounds, according to Reuters and Formula 1’s official race report.
How Kimi Antonelli’s Italian Grand Prix win unfolded
Antonelli began near the back after taking an engine-related grid penalty, while Russell started at the front. An early crash for Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc brought out a red flag and reshaped the race, but Antonelli had already advanced to 12th before the stoppage.
After the restart, Antonelli continued moving through the field. He reached second place by lap 16 and exchanged the lead with Russell as the Mercedes teammates used Monza’s long straights and slipstreaming opportunities.
The decisive strategic split came during a virtual safety car on lap 29. Antonelli stopped for fresh medium tyres, while Russell remained on older hard tyres. Antonelli returned to the track behind the leaders, then closed an 8.9-second gap to his teammate in about 10 laps.
A brief trip into the gravel threatened the comeback, but Antonelli recovered and passed Russell midway through lap 50 of the 53-lap race. He completed the Grand Prix in 1 hour, 51 minutes and 15.281 seconds.
A 60-year wait ends at Monza
No Italian driver had won the Italian Grand Prix at Monza since Ludovico Scarfiotti’s Ferrari victory in 1966. Antonelli’s result was also the 50th Formula One win by an Italian driver since the championship began in 1950.
The historical weight was sharpened by Ferrari’s difficult afternoon. Leclerc retired after his early crash, while Lewis Hamilton finished sixth. McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri took fourth and fifth respectively.
The victory was Antonelli’s seventh of the season, according to Reuters. His advantage in the standings now gives him a stronger cushion over Russell, although several rounds remain and the championship is not yet decided.
Why tyre strategy decided the Italian Grand Prix win
Russell controlled much of the race after the restart, but his long stint on hard tyres left him with less grip in the closing laps. Antonelli’s later stop cost track position temporarily but gave him the pace needed to attack.
The outcome illustrates the risk on both sides of a safety-car decision. Staying out protected Russell’s lead in the short term; pitting gave Antonelli faster tyres for the final phase. Once Antonelli erased the gap, Russell could not mount a response.
What comes next in the title race
Formula One heads next to the Spanish Grand Prix at Madrid’s new Madring circuit. Antonelli will arrive with a 66-point lead over Russell and momentum from the most significant home victory of his young career.
For Mercedes, the one-two finish strengthened its position while also underlining an emerging intra-team contest. Russell remains Antonelli’s closest challenger, but the Monza result increased the pressure on him to reverse the championship trend in the remaining rounds.
The Italian Grand Prix win strengthened Antonelli’s championship position and gave Italy a landmark home result. Follow more verified race coverage in The Daily Vantage’s Sports section.