For generations, Formula 1 racing in Italy has been synonymous with the iconic Scuderia Ferrari — a legacy of homegrown pride and red-clad fan loyalty that has defined the sport at Monza for decades. But on a sunbaked race day that will go down in F1 history, that long-held association was broken, as 20-year-old Mercedes rising star Kimi Antonelli pulled off one of the most dramatic comeback victories the sport has ever seen, securing a win at his home grand prix that has cemented his place among Italy’s greatest athletic legends.
Starting the race all the way back in 19th position, Antonelli fought through the packed field over 53 laps to claim the checkered flag, marking the furthest starting position any driver has climbed to win an F1 grand prix in more than 40 years. Even more remarkably, he is the first Italian driver to win the Italian Grand Prix since Ludovico Scarfiotti took victory for Ferrari all the way back in 1966. To seal the win, Antonelli pulled off 22 overtakes, using blistering pace and precise car control to carve past competitors his team believed he would struggle to pass. His strong early race speed allowed Mercedes to execute a game-changing two-stop tire strategy that ultimately put him out in front, with the young Italian reaching the top position in less than 17 full laps. It stands as the most dramatic come-from-behind F1 victory since John Watson won the 1983 Long Beach Grand Prix starting from 22nd on the grid.
The day was one to forget for Ferrari, the sport’s beloved Italian powerhouse. Ferrari’s star driver Charles Leclerc was forced out of the race after a crash just five minutes after the green flag. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, whom Antonelli replaced at Mercedes this season, finished sixth, more than 20 seconds behind the young winner. In a striking twist that captured the magnitude of Antonelli’s achievement, even die-hard Ferrari fans abandoned their loyalty to cheer the homegrown winner. When Antonelli crowd-surfed across the thousands of fans that flooded the track for his podium celebration, most of the supporters holding him aloft were wearing the iconic red Ferrari caps that are a staple of Monza race day.
In a Monday editorial leading the sports coverage, Italy’s leading sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport called Antonelli’s win “one of the most memorable” feats in all of F1 history. The outlet noted that even the most loyal Ferrari tifosi embraced Antonelli, cheering him as loudly as they have cheered past Italian Grand Prix winners including Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, and Leclerc himself. Gazzetta also placed Antonelli among the ranks of Italy’s most iconic modern sports heroes, alongside skiing legend Alberto Tomba, cycling great Marco Pantani, motorcycle racing champion Valentino Rossi, and tennis star Jannik Sinner, describing the 20-year-old as “just a kid who lives next door” who has grown into a national sporting superhero.
True to his roots, Antonelli celebrated the historic win in unapologetically Italian fashion: he ate a plate of spaghetti right out of his winning trophy. For Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, the win was a full-circle moment for Antonelli, who made his F1 practice debut at Monza two years ago — a debut that ended after just 10 minutes when he was caught in a high-speed crash during first practice. “Then two years later, it’s the biggest glory, the biggest moment of his career that’s probably going to be one of his biggest moments overall in the future,” Wolff said after the race. “Even if he wins another 200 grands prix, that one will always remain special.” Wolff also praised Antonelli’s seamless chemistry with his car, echoing the sentiment of the team that nothing can stop a driver who is fully in sync with his machine: “There’s just no stopping when a driver and a car are one. There’s nothing that can stop them.”
Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ trackside engineering director, highlighted just how impressive Antonelli’s performance was behind the wheel, noting “He carved past cars we thought he may struggle to pass.”
Antonelli’s historic win has also reshaped the landscape of this year’s driver’s championship, and could bring another celebration in front of his home fans before the season ends. He now holds a 66-point lead over his Mercedes teammate George Russell in the drivers’ standings with 10 races remaining on the 2025 calendar. Amid ongoing uncertainty over security conditions in the Middle East, the season finale is currently under consideration to be moved from the traditional Abu Dhabi circuit to Imola, a track located just a short drive from Antonelli’s hometown of Bologna.
For those close to Antonelli, this historic win was always meant to be. Born into a motorsport family — his father is a former racer and team owner, while his mother helped manage the family racing operation — Antonelli was scouted and signed to Mercedes’ junior development program by Wolff back in 2018. According to his mother Veronica, his path to F1 stardom was destiny from before he was even born. “When I was pregnant with him, where was I when I started to have contractions? At the movies watching *Cars* — a film that Kimi then must have watched 100 times as a kid,” she said. “He surprises even me with his maturity and his ability to learn. He’s still a kid but mentally he’s just so strong.”
Antonelli will next hit the track for the Spanish Grand Prix next weekend, as he continues his quest for a first world championship in his debut full F1 season.