Antonelli wins Italian Grand Prix from 19th on grid in F1 fairytale

Kimi Antonelli produced an extraordinary drive to win the 2026 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, starting from 19th on the grid — the second most extreme starting position for a race winner in Formula 1 history, behind only John Watson's victory from 22nd in 1983. The 19-year-old Mercedes driver became the first Italian to win his home race at Monza since Lorenzo Scarfiotti in 1966.

Antonelli benefited from a perfectly timed pit stop during a Virtual Safety Car period that closed a 15-second gap to the race leaders. He then passed his Mercedes teammate George Russell with just three laps remaining, sparking wild celebrations from the tifosi in the grandstands.

The win extended Antonelli's championship lead to 66 points. Max Verstappen finished third, while Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri came home fourth and fifth respectively. Lewis Hamilton crossed the line sixth, and Charles Leclerc retired from the race with a mechanical failure, crushing home hopes before Antonelli's late charge rewrote the script.