Antonelli wins Italian Grand Prix after charge from 19th

Kimi Antonelli has won his home Italian Grand Prix at Monza after starting 19th on the grid, completing a recovery drive to beat Mercedes team-mate George Russell. Max Verstappen finished third for his fifth podium of 2026, according to Sky Sports.

Antonelli’s starting position followed grid penalties for exceeding his engine allocation. He moved through the field before a red flag caused by Charles Leclerc’s crash, then resumed his pursuit of Russell on an alternative strategy.

Antonelli and Verstappen pitted after the halfway point when a Virtual Safety Car was triggered by Lance Stroll’s stoppage. They emerged in sixth and seventh, around 15 seconds behind Russell, but returned to the leading positions on fresher tyres.

Antonelli caught Russell late in the race after running wide at the first chicane. He then completed the decisive pass with three laps remaining, as reported by Sky Sports, to secure victory.

The result was reported as the first Italian win at Monza since 1966. Antonelli now leads Russell by 66 points in the Drivers’ Championship, while Lando Norris is 96 points behind the leader. Russell is also expected to face grid penalties at a future race.

Norris finished fourth, ahead of Oscar Piastri, while Lewis Hamilton was sixth for Ferrari and pole-sitter Pierre Gasly seventh. Formula 1 next travels to Madrid for the Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring circuit.