Kimi Antonelli produced one of the standout drives of the 2026 Formula 1 season by recovering from 19th on the grid to win his home Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
The Mercedes driver now leads the championship by 66 points over team-mate George Russell after a remarkable comeback that saw him fight through the field and eventually take victory. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen completed the podium in third.
Kimi Antonelli delivers a remarkable Monza drive
Kimi Antonelli’s victory was particularly impressive because of the starting position he faced. Beginning from 19th, the Italian made rapid progress through the field, overtaking rivals while limiting the time lost during each pass.
His ability to immediately pull away from cars with similar performance after overtaking proved crucial and helped him recover places at a remarkable rate.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella, who has previously worked with Formula 1 greats including Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, described the performance as potentially one that will be remembered for years.
Stella said Antonelli’s victory was made even more impressive by the fact that he defeated a Mercedes team-mate who had started second.
He described the result as an “iconic day” for Antonelli, his supporters and motorsport in general.
The victory also strengthened Antonelli’s position at the top of the championship as Mercedes continue their fight for the 2026 title.
Leclerc’s Ferrari struggles continue
Charles Leclerc endured a difficult home race after crashing out at Monza.
The Ferrari driver was involved in an opening-lap incident with team-mate Lewis Hamilton at the first chicane. Hamilton was forced onto the gravel and dropped to 10th, while Leclerc continued before being overtaken by Verstappen.
One lap later, Leclerc crashed at Parabolica while defending against McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
Leclerc rejected the suggestion that his defensive driving directly caused the accident, saying he had experienced a difference in power delivery between the first and second laps.
The crash was Leclerc’s second retirement from an incident this season, following his Monaco exit. However, his record does not necessarily support claims that he frequently crashes out of races, with his previous comparable retirement coming almost three years earlier at Zandvoort in 2023.
Lewis Hamilton, by comparison, has had four such incidents during the same period.
Ferrari faces tension between its drivers
Ferrari’s difficulties extend beyond Leclerc’s crash, with tension also emerging over how the team is managing its two drivers.
Hamilton has criticised Ferrari’s approach to driver equality after the team appeared to prioritise equal treatment despite his slim championship hopes.
The seven-time world champion said after Monza that the decisions should have been made much earlier.
The disagreement followed Hamilton and Leclerc’s first-corner incident, with Hamilton insisting that he had done nothing wrong.
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur is expected to speak with both drivers as the team attempts to prevent the disagreement from becoming a larger issue.
Mercedes strategy adds another talking point
Mercedes also faced questions about why Russell was not offered the opportunity to pit during the virtual safety car period at Monza.
Russell was leading the race on hard tyres while Antonelli was running second on mediums. Mercedes had earlier instructed its drivers to stop fighting each other closely so they could increase their advantage over Verstappen.
When the virtual safety car appeared, the race strategy changed significantly.
Russell said he had not considered pitting because he expected other drivers behind him to remain on track. He believed Antonelli would have been the Mercedes driver more likely to stop if the team had chosen to change strategy.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff explained that the team’s strategy software had indicated that staying out was the better option at the time.
Despite the tactical questions, the strategy ultimately did not overshadow Antonelli’s performance.
Aston Martin still searching for progress Kimi Antonelli
Aston Martin’s recent upgrades have produced encouraging improvements, although the team again struggled at Monza.
The major chassis upgrade introduced at the Hungarian Grand Prix reportedly reduced lap times by around two seconds. Fernando Alonso subsequently reached the second qualifying session for the first time all season in Hungary before finishing ninth at Zandvoort.
However, the team’s upgraded Honda engine has produced less convincing gains.
The engine remains a significant weakness, particularly on circuits such as Monza where power is especially important. Aston Martin’s engineers believe the chassis is now capable of competing around the midfield and are optimistic about further improvements.
Another weight-reduction upgrade around the gearbox is expected either in Madrid or at the following race in Azerbaijan.
What to expect from Madrid’s new circuit Kimi Antonelli
Formula 1 now heads to Madrid for the debut of the new Madring circuit.
The track has been constructed from scratch and features numerous corners, with medium-speed turns expected to dominate. Power sensitivity should be relatively low, similar to Zandvoort.
Overtaking is also expected to be difficult, potentially making qualifying particularly important.
McLaren could enter the weekend as one of the favourites after strong performances at Zandvoort and Hungary, but the team is cautious about its chances.
McLaren’s car has performed particularly well through long-duration corners, while many of Madrid’s corners are expected to be shorter. The main exception is the long, banked Monumental section, which is expected to be taken flat out.
Andrea Stella said circuits such as Madrid and Baku may not naturally suit McLaren because they require precise driving through short corners.
However, he stressed that the team would still aim to compete for victory.
With the Madrid circuit making its first appearance on the Formula 1 calendar, its true competitive characteristics will only become clear once qualifying begins on Saturday.
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