Antonelli charges from 19th to win at Monza — first Italian victor there in 60 years

Kimi Antonelli delivered one of the most significant wins of the 2026 Formula 1 season on Sunday, charging from 19th on the grid to win his home Italian Grand Prix at Monza and become the first Italian driver to win the race there in 60 years.

Antonelli, driving for Mercedes, took victory in the Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio d’Italia at Autodromo Nazionale Monza, the historic circuit known as the sport’s “Temple of Speed.” The result was his seventh Grand Prix win of the season and further strengthened his position at the top of the drivers’ championship. Multiple post-race reports said he was the first Italian to win the Italian Grand Prix at Monza since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966, ending a 60-year wait.

Mercedes completed a 1-2 finish, with George Russell taking second and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finishing third. Under Formula 1’s points system, Antonelli earned 25 points for the win, Russell took 18 and Verstappen 15. The result extended Mercedes’ lead in the constructors’ standings, while Motorsport.com reported that Antonelli’s advantage over Russell in the drivers’ standings grew to 66 points after Monza.

The scale of the comeback was made more striking by where Antonelli started. He lined up 19th on the official grid after being sent to the back because of power-unit changes that exceeded the season’s allowed allocation. From there, he recovered through the field to claim victory at his home race.

The race itself was also disrupted by a red flag after a heavy crash for Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc. After the stoppage, the Grand Prix was restarted, and Antonelli went on to complete the recovery drive and secure Mercedes’ dominant result.

Monza carries unusual weight in Formula 1 because it is the long-standing home of the Italian Grand Prix, making any home victory especially notable. Antonelli’s win stood out not as a one-off surprise, but as another major result in a season in which he has emerged as the championship leader.

Formula 1’s official Driver of the Day fan vote underscored the scale of the performance. Antonelli won the vote with 39.9%, well ahead of Verstappen in second on 16% and Russell in third on 7.9%.