Kimi Antonelli won the 2026 Italian Grand Prix at Monza after starting from 19th, with team-mate George Russell second for a Mercedes one-two. According to the team, Antonelli is the first Italian to win his home race since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966. The result also marks Mercedes’ 250th Grand Prix win as an engine manufacturer and the brand’s eighth victory at Monza, its first there since 2018.
Monza delivered one of the more unusual results of the season on Sunday, with Kimi Antonelli converting a start from the back of the grid into victory and George Russell completing a Mercedes one-two.
From 19th on the grid to the top step
Antonelli started 19th on the hard tyres, but was able to switch to the medium compound during an early red flag. By that point he had already made up seven places and was running 12th, according to the team.
Russell, starting second, ran a conventional one-stop race: away on mediums, then onto hards during the red flag, with the aim of running to the finish in the lead.
The virtual safety car split the strategies
After the restart, Antonelli continued to work his way forward until he was disputing the lead with his team-mate. A virtual safety car around half distance gave Mercedes the chance to pit him for a fresh set of mediums, with signs suggesting his original set would not last to the end.
He rejoined sixth, cleared the cars ahead quickly and took the lead three laps from the finish. The two Mercedes crossed the line with a comfortable margin over the rest of the field. The team says Russell dealt with front-tyre vibrations in the closing stages, which limited his pace.
“This is a day I will remember forever. It is without doubt the most extraordinary win of my career so far,” Antonelli said. “Even from 19th on the grid I believed this could be possible.”
Russell described the result as bittersweet. “It is frustrating to be so close to a win and then not take it, but that is racing,” he said. “It is still a great result for the team and I want to congratulate Kimi on winning his home race.”
Team principal Toto Wolff called it a phenomenal race by the team and both drivers, adding that a one-two at Monza is something special and that the pair raced hard but fairly.
A first for an Italian driver since 1966
Alongside the Scarfiotti milestone, Mercedes says the win was the 50th in Formula 1 by an Italian driver. Simone Resta, Deputy Technical Director, represented the team on the podium at its home race.
What it means for the title fight
Mercedes now leads the constructors’ standings by 122 points, while Antonelli heads the drivers’ championship by 66 points from Russell. That is a significant swing at this stage of the season, particularly for a team that admits it is not matching its rivals’ rhythm on upgrades.
The team is also playing down the form. Monza is an outlier of a circuit, and Mercedes says it does not expect the same competitiveness at the next round, where it anticipates a much harder fight.
The championship continues in Madrid next week.
Source: media.mercedes-benz.com