Kimi Antonelli surged from nineteenth place to claim an emotional Italian Grand Prix victory for Mercedes at Monza.
The 20-year-old recovered from an engine penalty, executing a masterclass in tyre management to secure a 66-point championship advantage over teammate George Russell.
Russell had initially capitalised on the surprise grid shake-up to control the early stages of the race.
Mercedes Split Pit Strategy
A lap 28 Virtual Safety Car to recover Lance Stroll divided the Mercedes garage.
Russell stayed out on older hard compounds to protect his track position. Antonelli stopped for fresh mediums, leaving the pit lane with a 15-second deficit but a vast grip advantage.
The Italian rapidly erased the gap to the race leader. Antonelli dipped his Mercedes into the gravel trap at the opening chicane before gathering the car and sweeping past Russell on the run into Ascari.
Focus Shifts To Madrid
“P1 at home!! It’s hard to describe yesterday. It’s a dream come true,” Antonelli said.
He secured his seventh victory of the season as an Italian driver won the Italian Grand Prix for the first time in 60 years.
Behind the Mercedes duo, 2025 champion Lando Norris edged Oscar Piastri as McLaren embraced their revised racing policy.
Formula 1 now prepares for the inaugural Madrid Grand Prix. Antonelli confirmed he must remain on top of his game at the completely new circuit as he looks to defend his commanding title lead.
