Kimi Antonelli made history in Monza with a feat only for the chosen ones. He won despite starting from the last position on the grid due to a pre-planned engine change, with Liam Lawson, Alexander Albon, and Fernando Alonso starting from the pit lane, with a blistering pace, 26 overtakes, and setting the fastest lap on the last lap to make an Italian stand on the top step of the podium again after 60 years, succeeding Ludovico Scarfiotti. His teammate, George Russell, had no choice but to settle for second place, despite leading much of the race, while Max Verstappen, despite several problems, finished third.
One of the images of the day, without a doubt, was seeing the entire Ferrari grandstand celebrate Kimi’s last overtake as if his car were red instead of silver. Things, in this case, did not go so well for the Cavallino Rampante team. Charles Leclerc had a chilling off-track exit just as he was about to finish the second lap, which ended with a red flag, and Lewis Hamilton, despite being fiercely competitive even with his own teammate, did not have his best day. At the start, where Gasly barely managed to keep the lead he earned by taking pole against Russell’s momentum, he went off into the gravel after trying to squeeze where there was no space. Afterwards, he tried to fight, but even the two McLarens ended up beating him.
«It’s a dream come true. It has been an incredible day. There are several races left, we have to keep our heads down, but for now, let’s enjoy this day,» Antonelli said. And his first big opportunity could have cost him dearly. «I was scared, the asphalt was cracking at the second corner, I managed it, but when I touched the gravel, I went straight. I even thought I might have lost the chance, but luckily I had pace and I could take the race,» he confessed. «I want to congratulate Kimi, it’s a great result. When I first saw the times, I saw he was fourth or fifth and knew he was going to fight for the win. Fighting on hard tires was tough, and in the end, it was more positive than expected,» Russell stated.
«There were good battles, honestly it was very hard for me, we had problems, top speed was not our friend, I struggled to keep the overtaking mode, the asphalt was breaking up at the second corner… But I’m happy to be on the podium,» Verstappen finally added. As for the Spanish drivers, Carlos Sainz finished thirteenth, while Fernando Alonso, for his part, was forced to retire on the twenty-fourth lap.
