A race that started from 19th place and one of the most striking comebacks Formula 1 has seen — Kimi Antonelli has won the Italian Grand Prix. The Bologna-born driver lined up in the back rows after being penalised for fitting new engine components to his Mercedes. Yet a red flag and some fiercely aggressive driving turned the race on its head. In a tense duel with team-mate George Russell, the Italian came out on top. He ended a 60-year wait: not since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966 had an Italian triumphed at Monza, the high-speed circuit outside Milan.
Behind the scenes, the tactical war belonged to Toto Wolff. The team principal had calculated precisely that, engine penalty or not, overtaking would be straightforward on Monza's long straights. The decisive moment arrived under the virtual safety car (VSC). Race engineer Peter Bonnington brought Antonelli into the pits for fresh tyres. Russell stayed out. The strategy worked. On new rubber the Italian reclaimed the lead in the closing laps and crossed the line first.
It is already a seventh win of a debut season for Antonelli. That tally draws him level with Russell and stretches his championship lead to 66 points. The Italian's closing message left little room for doubt: "The best one is yet to come."
