Antonelli strengthens F1 lead with spectacular comeback victory at Monza

Kimi Antonelli turned a 19th-place start into a home victory at Monza, passing Mercedes teammate George Russell late in the race to strengthen his grip on the Formula 1 championship.

The 20-year-old Italian overtook Russell four laps from the finish and also moved ahead of Max Verstappen. The win marked Antonelli’s first Italian Grand Prix victory and made him the first Italian to win the race since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966. It was his seventh victory of the season.

Antonelli took the lead after only 18 laps, despite starting at the back of the grid because of a penalty for changing his engine. He later benefited from a virtual safety car on lap 29, taking a new set of tyres while Russell stayed on track.

Russell held a 15-second advantage, but Antonelli gradually erased it. His first attempt to pass on lap 49 failed, but he completed the move one lap later and held the position over the final three laps. Verstappen finished third, ahead of McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

Ferrari had a disappointing race on its home circuit. Hamilton finished sixth, while Leclerc lost control on lap three after Verstappen passed him and he tried to prevent Piastri from getting through. The Ferrari hit the wall at the Parabolica, forcing a 40-minute stoppage while the safety barrier was repaired. Leclerc escaped from the car unaided.