Italian Grand Prix Review

Winner

Kimi Antonelli won the Italian Grand Prix.

Full classification

What happened

It took just two laps for the 2026 Italian Grand Prix to descend into chaos, and sixty years for an Italian to win it. A high-speed crash for Ferrari's Charles Leclerc at the Parabolica brought out a red flag, resetting a race that would ultimately see Kimi Antonelli perform a stunning recovery drive from 19th on the grid to take a historic home victory. The win makes him the first Italian to stand on the top step at Monza since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966.

The drama began almost immediately. On the opening lap, the two Ferraris of Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton battled into the first chicane, with Hamilton pushed into the gravel and dropping down the order. While polesitter Pierre Gasly held the lead initially for Alpine, George Russell’s Mercedes swept past for the lead on lap two. Moments later, the race was neutralized. While defending from Oscar Piastri's McLaren, Leclerc lost control of his Ferrari on the exit of the final corner, spinning heavily into the tyre barriers. According to PlanetF1, the incident occurred as Leclerc ran wide while trying to hold off Piastri, losing the rear of his car and spearing into the wall. Leclerc climbed out unharmed, but the significant barrier damage required a 30-minute stoppage.

Antonelli's Unlikely Charge

The red flag was a pivotal moment. It allowed the entire field to change tyres, effectively giving everyone a free pit stop and neutralizing early strategy plays. More importantly for Kimi Antonelli, it bunched up the pack. Having started a lowly 19th after an engine penalty, the young Italian had already climbed to 12th by the time the red flag flew. This was the first stroke of fortune in what would become one of Monza's great recovery drives.

When the race restarted, Antonelli began a relentless climb through the field. By lap 18, he had astonishingly passed his teammate George Russell to take the lead outright. However, the race had another twist. A Virtual Safety Car, deployed for Lance Stroll's stricken Aston Martin which had suffered a suspected hydraulic failure, provided the decisive strategic opportunity. While Russell stayed out on his hard tyres, Mercedes pitted Antonelli for a fresh set of mediums. According to a race analysis by Grandprix.com, those two minutes under the VSC made the stop far less costly, giving Antonelli the tyre advantage for the final phase of the race.

Armed with fresher rubber, Antonelli hunted down his teammate. After one failed attempt that saw him run through the gravel at the first chicane, he made the decisive move stick with just a few laps remaining to seal an emotional home victory. Russell held on for second, with Max Verstappen completing the podium for Red Bull.

A Day of Attrition and Disappointment

While Antonelli celebrated, it was a day to forget for several others. Leclerc's dramatic exit was a bitter blow for the Tifosi. The Monegasque driver later suggested a change in power delivery between the first and second laps might have contributed to the crash, a concern Ferrari will undoubtedly investigate.

It was a similarly disastrous afternoon for Aston Martin, who suffered a double retirement. Fernando Alonso was the first to go, called into the pits with damage sustained after running over a kerb. Just a few laps later, his teammate Lance Stroll pulled over at Turn 1 with a hydraulic issue, triggering the VSC that played into Antonelli's hands.

For the thousands of fans packing the grandstands, particularly those with a view of the Parabolica, the day was a rollercoaster of emotions that is unique to Monza. You can find out more about the spectator experience at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza on our dedicated circuit page here. The race ultimately leaves an open question: was Antonelli's stunning comeback a sign of a definitive championship shift, or a brilliant, opportunistic victory born from the chaos that only the "Temple of Speed" can provide?

Final Classification

The final finishing order for the 2026 Italian Grand Prix was as follows:

1. Kimi Antonelli
2. George Russell
3. Max Verstappen
4. Lando Norris
5. Oscar Piastri
6. Lewis Hamilton
7. Pierre Gasly
8. Arvid Lindblad
9. Franco Colapinto
10. Yuki Tsunoda
11. Gabriel Bortoleto
12. Nico Hülkenberg
13. Carlos Sainz
14. Liam Lawson
15. Oliver Bearman
16. Esteban Ocon (Lapped)
17. Alexander Albon (Lapped)
18. Sergio Pérez (Lapped)
19. Valtteri Bottas (Lapped)

Did Not Finish: Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso, Charles Leclerc.