Kimi Antonelli conquers the Italian Grand Prix as Checo Pérez finishes 18th

Andrea Kimi Antonelli turned a 19th-place start into a landmark victory at Monza, winning the Italian Grand Prix in front of his home crowd. The 20-year-old Mercedes driver passed Sergio Pérez early and continued a remarkable climb through the field at the traditional Ferrari stronghold.

Antonelli finished ahead of his teammate, George Russell, while Max Verstappen took third for Red Bull. The victory was Antonelli’s seventh in Formula One and his seventh of the season. It also strengthened his lead before next weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix at Madrid’s Madring.

Pérez started 17th on soft tires but ended the race 18th for Cadillac. Argentina’s Franco Colapinto finished ninth for Alpine. Carlos Sainz was 13th for Williams, while Fernando Alonso retired for Aston Martin.

The race resumed nearly half an hour after officials removed a car and repaired the barriers following a crash. Antonelli nearly went onto the gravel at the first chicane on lap 49, but one lap later he took the lead at the Ascari variant and held it to the finish.

His victory made Antonelli the first Italian to win the Italian Grand Prix since Ludovico Scarfiotti drove a Ferrari to victory in 1966. The result also marked one of the largest comebacks to victory in Formula One history, behind John Watson’s recovery from 22nd place at the 1983 United States West Grand Prix in Long Beach.