The Italian Grand Prix at Monza delivered a dramatic weekend of surprises, but none was bigger than Kimi Antonelli’s extraordinary charge from 19th on the grid. After Mercedes appeared to dominate the weekend, the team’s Italian rookie overcame a grid penalty to fight his way through the field and secure victory at his home Grand Prix.
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Gasly Stuns Mercedes in Qualifying
Mercedes entered qualifying with high expectations after showing impressive pace in FP3. However, Pierre Gasly had other ideas.
The Alpine driver shocked the field by topping Q1 with a 1:22.612, while the Ferraris struggled to match the leading pace. In Q2, Antonelli responded brilliantly, setting a 1:21.882 to finish the session fastest.
Gasly saved his best for last. In Q3, George Russell initially led the way, but Gasly produced a sensational 1:21.786 on his final attempt to claim pole position at Monza.
Antonelli qualified strongly but was hit by a planned power-unit change, forcing him to start from 19th. Oscar Piastri also received a three-place grid penalty and dropped to sixth.
Chaos at the Start
Gasly made a strong getaway from pole, but Russell quickly moved into the lead. Behind them, the Ferrari drivers battled aggressively, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton fighting for position.
The race then exploded into chaos on Lap 2 when Leclerc lost control of his Ferrari exiting the Parabolica and suffered a heavy crash, bringing out the red flag.
Despite starting near the back, Antonelli had already gained seven places, climbing from 19th to 12th before the interruption.
At the restart, Russell retained the lead, but Antonelli continued his relentless progress. He climbed into the top six before passing Hamilton and Piastri in quick succession. By Lap 13, the Mercedes driver was already third.
Antonelli Takes Control
The Italian’s charge continued as strategy and pace worked in his favour. He overtook Russell on Lap 18 to take the lead of his home Grand Prix, although Russell reclaimed first place several laps later.
A Virtual Safety Car on Lap 28 triggered another strategic phase. Antonelli pitted for fresh mediums while Verstappen switched to hards.
Russell returned to the lead, but Antonelli refused to give up. He steadily closed the gap during the final laps, setting up a dramatic Mercedes showdown.
On Lap 49, Antonelli briefly ran into the gravel and spun, appearing to throw away his chance of victory. Yet he immediately recovered and continued attacking.
Then came the decisive move. On Lap 50, Antonelli overtook Russell at Ascari to reclaim the lead. His victory was made even more remarkable by the fact that it was his 26th overtake of the race.
Antonelli had gone from 19th to first at Monza — completing one of the most spectacular comebacks of the season.
Drivers’ Championship Standings
The result further strengthened Antonelli’s position at the top of the championship: Kimi Antonelli 267 points, George Russell 201 points, Lewis Hamilton 191 points
Mercedes may have dominated the weekend, but it was Antonelli who ultimately stole the show. A grid penalty, a red flag, changing strategies and an intense fight with his own teammate could not stop the Italian from producing a truly unforgettable home victory.