Antonelli: “I’m Extremely Happy, It’s a Dream Come True”

Andrea Kimi Antonelli described his Italian Grand Prix victory as “a dream come true” after a remarkable recovery from 19th on the grid at Monza. The Mercedes driver strengthened his lead in the Formula 1 championship by passing teammate George Russell for the win.

“Thank you for the support,” Antonelli told the enthusiastic Italian crowd after climbing out of his car. “I’m extremely happy, I could never have imagined this.” The 20-year-old Bologna driver said his team had done “a sensational job” and that he believed he had a chance after the second start.

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Thank you for the support.

A virtual safety car gave Antonelli the chance to change tires and switch to medium compounds. Russell stayed on track with hard tires, and Antonelli eventually moved ahead. He briefly ran off at the first chicane while trying to pass his teammate, but recovered without becoming stuck in the gravel.

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I’m extremely happy, I could never have imagined this.

“Without the team I never would have achieved it,” Antonelli said. “There are still a couple of races, but I’m going to celebrate this day properly. It wasn’t easy, it was a really difficult victory.”

Antonelli now leads the championship with 267 points, 66 ahead of Russell and 76 ahead of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who finished sixth. He could become Italy’s third Formula 1 world champion, 73 years after Alberto Ascari last won the title.

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Without the team I never would have achieved it. There are still a couple of races, but I’m going to celebrate this day properly. It wasn’t easy, it was a really difficult victory.