Photo: Kimi Antonelli, 2025 Imola GP by Jen Ross, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Cropped and resized proportionally; no other changes.
Kimi Antonelli just won the 2026 Italian Grand Prix at Monza from P19. Yeah, nineteenth on the grid, in front of the tifosi, in a Mercedes. He is the first Italian to win his home race since 1966. IMO this is the drive of the season, and the internet has not stopped talking about it since Sunday.
What happened at Monza
You do not see this at Monza. Antonelli started the 2026 Italian Grand Prix down in P19, then came through the field and crossed the line first on 6 September. His teammate George Russell finished second and Max Verstappen took third. Pierre Gasly had grabbed a shock pole in qualy for Alpine on Saturday, so the whole weekend was already a bit chaotic before the lights even went out.
The finish itself was wild. Antonelli moved to the top of the timesheets on a flying lap right under the chequered flag. Home driver, home crowd, worst-to-first energy. TBH the grandstands lost it.
Photo: Autodromo Nazionale di Monza by Ank Kumar, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized proportionally; no other changes.
Why this Kimi Antonelli win is historic
Here is the stat that matters. Antonelli is the first Italian driver to win the Italian Grand Prix since Ludovico Scarfiotti back in 1966. That is a 60-year gap, closed by a teenager, at the sport’s fastest track, in the team that replaced Lewis Hamilton with him. You could not script it better.
Winning from P19 is the other headline. A charge like that needs pace, a smart tyre call, and a lot of nerve in the braking zones at Monza. Get one overtake wrong into the first chicane and your race is done.
Photo: Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, 2025 Japanese GP by Liauzh, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized proportionally; no other changes.
How he did it from P19
The short answer: track position, tyre life, and timing. A run from nineteenth usually leans on an offset strategy, so an early undercut that puts you on fresher rubber while rivals fade. Add the guts to send it through Monza’s big braking zones and a late safety-car shuffle, and a worst-to-first result stops looking impossible.
For the lap-by-lap detail, the tyre stints and the exact gaps, check the official race report in the sources below. The numbers move fast and the primary sources are the ones to trust.
The media reaction
The reaction went global within hours. Formula 1 ran a deep-dive analysis titled “How Antonelli Closed the Circle at Monza”, framing the win as the moment the Mercedes junior project paid off in full. Italian outlets leaned on the Scarfiotti link, and social feeds did the rest. FYI, if your timeline is full of red flares and Monza clips right now, this is why.
Gear up for the Antonelli era
Riding the hype? Here are three racing-inspired picks tied to the new Mercedes lineup.
KozmozRacing is an independent retailer of racing-inspired fan apparel. These products are not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Mercedes-AMG, Formula 1 or any driver.
Frequently asked questions
Did Kimi Antonelli really win from P19 at Monza?
Yes. He started the 2026 Italian Grand Prix nineteenth on the grid and won, with George Russell second and Max Verstappen third.
Why is the Kimi Antonelli Monza win historic?
He is the first Italian driver to win the Italian Grand Prix since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966, and he did it from P19 at his home race.
Who was on the Monza podium with Antonelli?
His Mercedes teammate George Russell finished second and Max Verstappen finished third. Pierre Gasly took pole for Alpine.
Where can I read the full race analysis?
Formula 1 published a deep-dive titled “How Antonelli Closed the Circle at Monza”. See the official sources below for the full report and results.
Sources and further reading
- 2026 Italian Grand Prix — full race report, grid, podium and results.
- Formula 1 — official results — race classification, points and current standings.
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli — career record and biography.
