Formula 1: Kimi Antonelli Storms From 19th to Win Italian Grand Prix at Monza

September 7, 2026

Monza: Kimi Antonelli produced a sensational comeback at his home Italian Grand Prix on Sunday, fighting back from 19th on the grid to claim a stunning victory at Monza.

The Mercedes driver overcame an engine penalty, a difficult starting position and a fiercely competitive field before overtaking teammate and championship rival George Russell in the closing stages to seal an extraordinary win over 53 laps at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.

Russell finished second, around four seconds behind Antonelli, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen completed the podium in third.

Antonelli’s Incredible Comeback at Monza

Antonelli was forced to start from 19th after receiving a power unit penalty, but the setback did little to slow him down.

The Italian immediately began making progress through the field, combining strong pace with aggressive overtaking moves. His recovery was helped significantly by the Virtual Safety Car, which allowed him to pit for a fresh set of medium tyres.

Russell, meanwhile, stayed out on used hard tyres.

The contrasting tyre strategies gradually shifted the advantage towards Antonelli. As the race entered its final stages, the Mercedes driver closed the gap to his teammate and championship rival.

Antonelli briefly ran through the gravel while attempting to make his move on Russell, but he managed to regain control and continue his charge.

He eventually completed the remarkable comeback to take victory in front of his home crowd.

Russell Second, Verstappen Completes Podium

Russell finished approximately four seconds behind Antonelli to take second place, while Verstappen secured third after a determined drive that included several aggressive overtaking moves.

Lando Norris won the closely contested battle with McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri to finish fourth.

Lewis Hamilton was Ferrari’s highest finisher in sixth, while Charles Leclerc’s race ended in dramatic fashion after he suffered a serious crash at the final corner on the second lap.

Pierre Gasly, who had stunned the field by taking his first Formula 1 pole position during Saturday’s qualifying session, could not maintain his front-running pace and finished seventh.

Arvid Lindblad, Franco Colapinto and Yuki Tsunoda completed the remaining points-scoring positions.

Gasly’s Shock Pole Fails to Produce Victory

Gasly’s pole position had been one of the biggest surprises of the weekend. Alpine’s latest chassis improvements, combined with Mercedes power, helped the Frenchman secure the top spot in qualifying.

George Russell started alongside Gasly on the front row. Before the race, Russell had also beaten Gasly in an online chess game, adding another layer to their weekend battle.

Piastri had originally qualified third but was handed a three-place grid penalty for impeding Liam Lawson during Q2. The penalty promoted Leclerc and Hamilton to the second row and moved Verstappen up to fifth.

Antonelli’s power unit penalty dropped him from seventh on the original qualifying order to 19th. Alex Albon and Lawson also received engine penalties.

Lawson was subsequently required to start from the pit lane after changes were made to the rear wing of his Red Bull under parc fermé conditions. Alonso also started from the pit lane following power unit changes after qualifying.

Tyre Strategy Plays Key Role

Tyre strategy was another major talking point before the race.

Gasly and Russell started on medium tyres, while Leclerc, Hamilton and Verstappen opted for softs. Antonelli, Tsunoda and Alonso began the race on hard tyres.

When the lights went out, Gasly made a clean getaway and retained the lead through the first chicane.

Behind him, Leclerc and Hamilton ran side by side, with Hamilton appearing to be pushed onto the gravel and losing positions.

Verstappen and Piastri also came close to contact at the start, but the Red Bull driver managed to get ahead and move into fourth place.

The race ultimately turned into a strategic battle, with Antonelli’s tyre choice and the Virtual Safety Car playing a crucial role in his extraordinary climb from 19th to first.

Several Drivers Retire Late

The race also featured late retirements.

Fernando Alonso returned to the pits with suspected damage to his car, while Lance Stroll retired after suffering a hydraulic problem.

Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg competed for Audi, with Hulkenberg involved in an incident with Liam Lawson at Turn 4 that was referred to the stewards.

Carlos Sainz finished 13th for Williams, ahead of Lawson, Haas teammates Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon, Alex Albon, and Cadillac drivers Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas.

Antonelli Completes Remarkable Turnaround

Antonelli’s victory marked an extraordinary turnaround after he entered the weekend as the championship leader but faced the major setback of starting 19th because of his power unit penalty.

His recovery became even more impressive given the strength of the drivers starting at the front and the unexpected qualifying performance from Gasly.

The Italian’s home victory at Monza not only delivered a memorable comeback but also underlined the importance of race strategy, tyre management and decisive overtaking in Formula 1.