Kimi Antonelli wins Italian Grand Prix from 19th on grid as Ferrari falters

Antonelli charges from 19th to victory

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli secured victory at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday after starting 19th on the grid due to power unit penalties. The 20-year-old Italian passed his teammate George Russell with three laps remaining to take his seventh win of the season. Antonelli crossed the finish line 3.857 seconds ahead of Russell, giving Mercedes a one-two finish at Monza. The win makes Antonelli the first Italian driver to win at Monza since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966. Red Bull driver Max Verstappen took third place to complete the podium, despite handling issues with the rear of his car.

When a driver and a car are one, then there's just nothing that can stop them.

Title standings and midfield results

Antonelli expanded his lead in the drivers' championship with the Monza victory, moving 66 points clear of Russell in second place. McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finished fourth and fifth, with Norris recovering from ninth on the grid after battling brake issues during qualifying. Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton finished sixth for Ferrari, crossing the line more than 20 seconds behind Antonelli. Alpine driver Pierre Gasly, who started from pole position on Saturday, lacked race pace on Sunday and finished seventh. Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad took eighth, Alpine's Franco Colapinto placed ninth, and Yuki Tsunoda finished tenth.

I believed in it, especially when I was behind George, but it was really difficult to break away with the tow being so strong.

Early collision and retirement for Ferrari

Ferrari entered its home weekend with car upgrades but suffered early setbacks on the track. On the opening lap, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton fought for position through Turn 2, which forced Hamilton onto the gravel and dropped him from fourth to tenth. Leclerc lost control at the exit of the Parabolica at the end of lap two, crashing into the tyre barriers and ending his race within five minutes. The incident triggered an early red flag stoppage that compacted the field. Leclerc noted variations in power delivery across the opening laps and scheduled medical checks following initial right-eye vision issues after the impact.

It is never what you want between two cars of the same team.

Mercedes dominance and championship implications

Hamilton entered the weekend 59 points behind Antonelli after eight consecutive top-five finishes, but the sixth-place finish left him 76 points adrift. Mercedes consolidated its lead in both championship standings following the one-two result. George Russell had led for most of the grand prix after starting on the front row, but tyre wear during the closing laps left him vulnerable to Antonelli's late move. Antonelli had previously suffered a practice crash at Monza in 2024 before making his rookie appearance in 2025. Formula 1 moves next to Spain, with Leclerc aiming to clear medical evaluation in time for the upcoming grand prix.