Formula 1 2026 Italian Grand Prix(Monza) Review
Antonelli Delivers Stunning P19-to-P1
Kimi Antonelli produced a sensational comeback drive to win the Italian Grand Prix, rising from 19th on the grid to claim victory on home soil in a masterclass of pace and overtaking. The championship leader extended his title advantage with a stunning drive that saw him carve through the field before passing Mercedes teammate George Russell in the closing laps.
The race was halted early by a red flag after Charles Leclerc’s heavy crash on the second lap, but Antonelli’s charge was unstoppable. Russell had to settle for second, while Max Verstappen completed the podium in a determined display that also featured several bold passes.
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Grand Prix Race – Antonelli’s Miraculous Comeback from the Back of the Grid
Pre-Race Conditions
A sunny afternoon greeted the drivers at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza for the 53-lap Italian Grand Prix. Pierre Gasly started from pole position – his first-ever F1 pole – after a sensational qualifying session, with George Russell alongside him on the front row.
Kimi Antonelli started from 19th after taking a power unit penalty, while Alexander Albon and Liam Lawson also served engine penalties (Lawson later starting from the pit lane due to parc ferme changes). Fernando Alonso also started from the pit lane after power unit changes.
The tyre strategy saw Gasly and Russell on mediums, Leclerc, Hamilton and Verstappen on softs, with Antonelli on hards.
Start: Gasly Leads as Leclerc Crashes Out
When the lights went out, Gasly made a smooth getaway to hold the lead over Russell into the first chicane. Ferrari pair Leclerc and Hamilton went wheel-to-wheel – the latter seemingly forced into the gravel and tumbling down the order. “Charles pushed me off!” Hamilton shouted over the radio.
Russell tucked in behind Gasly and made a clean move into the first chicane, with Leclerc also getting ahead of the Alpine before Gasly fought back.
Drama struck on the second lap when Leclerc lost control of his Ferrari exiting the Curva Alboreto and slammed into the barriers. The red flag was thrown, and Leclerc climbed out unaided but was left crouched head-in-hands in the shade – a heartbreaking moment for the Ferrari driver.
Restart: Antonelli’s Charge Begins
After barrier repairs, a standing start saw Russell nail his getaway to slot in front of Gasly. Verstappen reclaimed third with a bold move at the second chicane, while Colapinto ran off track and through the gravel at Lesmo 1.
Incredibly, Antonelli was already up to seventh , with his sights set on the McLarens. He edged in front of Norris in an entertaining battle over the next few laps.
Mid-Race: Antonelli Cuts Through the Field
Gasly lost position after position as his race pace faded. Antonelli followed Piastri through for P4 at the second chicane. On Lap 15, Russell reclaimed the lead from Verstappen, before Antonelli repeated the move on the four-time champion next time around.
On Lap 18, Antonelli completed his back-of-the-grid charge by taking the lead from Russell into Turn 1.
A thrilling back-and-forth battle ensued between the Mercedes teammates – Antonelli falling behind at the first chicane and fighting back at the second chicane on multiple occasions. “Do you want me just to sit behind, or what?” Antonelli asked when told to stop “yo-yoing.”
Pit Stops and Strategy
Russell stayed out in the lead while Antonelli pitted for fresh mediums, rejoining in sixth. The pair set about carving through traffic, with Antonelli clearing Piastri for P2 with 20 laps remaining – now nine seconds behind Russell.
Verstappen slotted back into the podium places with overtakes on Hamilton and Piastri.
Final Laps: Antonelli Seizes Victory
With five laps to go, Antonelli had Russell in his sights. He made a move at the first chicane but ran wide and put all four wheels in the gravel. Undeterred, he recovered and challenged Russell again – this time making a pass stick between Lesmo 2 and the Ascari chicane midway through Lap 50, then storming into the distance.
Antonelli crossed the line 3.857 seconds clear to secure a famous home victory.
Grand Prix Race Full Classification
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Laps | Time / Retired | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 53 | 1:51:15.281 | 25 |
| 2 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 53 | +3.857s | 18 |
| 3 | 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 53 | +14.718s | 15 |
| 4 | 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 53 | +19.056s | 12 |
| 5 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 53 | +19.253s | 10 |
| 6 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 53 | +23.857s | 8 |
| 7 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 53 | +28.222s | 6 |
| 8 | 41 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | 53 | +30.898s | 4 |
| 9 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 53 | +32.641s | 2 |
| 10 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Racing Bulls | 53 | +34.096s¹ | 1 |
| 11 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | 53 | +39.318s | 0 |
| 12 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | 53 | +40.440s | 0 |
| 13 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 53 | +43.255s | 0 |
| 14 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Red Bull Racing | 53 | +44.525s | 0 |
| 15 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas F1 Team | 53 | +46.956s | 0 |
| 16 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas F1 Team | 53 | +50.256s | 0 |
| 17 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 53 | +55.820s | 0 |
| 18 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | 53 | +65.305s² | 0 |
| 19 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | 53 | +70.676s | 0 |
| NC | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 24 | DNF (Hydraulics) | 0 |
| NC | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 20 | DNF (Damage) | 0 |
| NC | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1 | DNF (Crash) | 0 |
¹ Tsunoda under investigation for a potential start procedure infringement.
² Perez received a 5-second penalty for failing to follow Race Director’s instructions.
Italian Grand Prix Qualifying – Gasly Charges to Sensational Maiden Pole
Pierre Gasly earned a brilliant first-ever F1 pole position at the Italian Grand Prix, edging out George Russell and Oscar Piastri in a pulsating qualifying session. The Frenchman’s lap of 1:21.786 sent shockwaves through the paddock.
Q1 – Gasly Impresses as Tow Games Begin
Gasly set the pace with 1:22.612 , ahead of Verstappen and Colapinto. The session saw both Aston Martins and Cadillacs eliminated, with Tsunoda also falling at the first hurdle.
Knocked out: Tsunoda, Albon, Bottas, Perez, Alonso, Stroll
Q2 – Antonelli Fastest as Hamilton Squeezes Through
Antonelli topped Q2 with 1:21.882 , ahead of Piastri and Norris. Hamilton survived a scare, finishing just 0.001s ahead of Bortoleto. Lawson was left furious after being baulked by Piastri.
Knocked out: Bortoleto, Bearman, Hulkenberg, Lawson, Sainz, Ocon
Q3 – Gasly Shocks Rivals for Maiden Pole
Russell set the initial pace before Gasly posted a 1:21.786 to jump ahead and secure pole. The Ferraris of Leclerc and Hamilton had to settle for fourth and fifth, with Verstappen sixth and Antonelli seventh (before his penalty).
Grand Prix Qualifying Top 10 Classification
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:22.612 | 1:22.077 | 1:21.786 |
| 2 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:22.779 | 1:22.161 | 1:21.846 |
| 3 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:22.924 | 1:22.017 | 1:21.966 |
| 4 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:22.902 | 1:22.509 | 1:22.004 |
| 5 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:22.847 | 1:22.516 | 1:22.011 |
| 6 | 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 1:22.631 | 1:22.188 | 1:22.070 |
| 7 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:22.758 | 1:21.882 | 1:22.093 |
| 8 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:22.662 | 1:22.400 | 1:22.220 |
| 9 | 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:22.659 | 1:22.067 | 1:22.256 |
| 10 | 41 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | 1:22.727 | 1:22.345 | 1:22.286 |
Key Takeaways from the Italian Grand Prix Weekend
1. Antonelli’s Miracle Drive – From 19th to first on home soil. The championship leader delivered one of the great comeback drives, passing Russell with five laps to go after a brave move through the gravel. His title lead now stands at 62 points.
2. Gasly’s Maiden Pole – A sensational moment for the Frenchman and Alpine. His first pole in 177 races, coming at the same circuit where he won his first Grand Prix in 2020. A fairytale weekend that unfortunately didn’t translate into a victory.
3. Russell’s Frustrating Second – Led for much of the race but couldn’t hold off his charging teammate. The late-race tyre degradation and Antonelli’s relentless pace meant he had to settle for second.
4. Verstappen’s Podium Charge – A determined drive from the Dutchman, who made several bold overtakes to secure third. His “completely broken” rear axle complaint didn’t stop him from delivering Red Bull’s best result in recent races.
5. Leclerc’s Home Heartbreak – The Ferrari driver crashed out on the second lap while running in podium contention. His head-in-hands moment echoed Mika Hakkinen’s despair at Monza in 1999 – a devastating result for the Scuderia on home soil.
6. Hamilton’s Difficult Day – The seven-time World Champion was forced wide by Leclerc at the start and could only recover to sixth. A frustrating race for the Briton.
7. Alpine’s Mixed Fortunes – From Gasly’s pole to Colapinto’s ninth and Gasly’s seventh in the race, it was a strong weekend for the French team despite the pole not converting to victory.
Championship Standings After Round 13
Drivers’ Championship
| Pos | Driver | Nationality | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | ITA | Mercedes | 254 |
| 2 | George Russell | GBR | Mercedes | 185 |
| 3 | Lewis Hamilton | GBR | Ferrari | 182 |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | MON | Ferrari | 144 |
| 5 | Lando Norris | GBR | McLaren | 159 |
| 6 | Oscar Piastri | AUS | McLaren | 110 |
| 7 | Max Verstappen | NED | Red Bull Racing | 121 |
| 8 | Isack Hadjar | FRA | Red Bull Racing | 68 |
| 9 | Liam Lawson | NZL | Red Bull Racing | 48 |
| 10 | Pierre Gasly | FRA | Alpine | 49 |
| 11 | Arvid Lindblad | GBR | Racing Bulls | 27 |
| 12 | Franco Colapinto | ARG | Alpine | 21 |
| 13 | Oliver Bearman | GBR | Haas F1 Team | 18 |
| 14 | Nico Hulkenberg | GER | Audi | 6 |
| 15 | Carlos Sainz | ESP | Williams | 6 |
| 16 | Alexander Albon | THA | Williams | 5 |
| 17 | Gabriel Bortoleto | BRA | Audi | 10 |
| 18 | Esteban Ocon | FRA | Haas F1 Team | 3 |
| 19 | Fernando Alonso | ESP | Aston Martin | 3 |
| 20 | Yuki Tsunoda | JPN | Racing Bulls | 1 |
| 21 | Valtteri Bottas | FIN | Cadillac | 0 |
| 22 | Sergio Perez | MEX | Cadillac | 0 |
| 23 | Lance Stroll | CAN | Aston Martin | 0 |
Constructors’ Championship
| Pos | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes | 439 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 326 |
| 3 | McLaren | 269 |
| 4 | Red Bull Racing | 233 |
| 5 | Alpine | 70 |
| 6 | Racing Bulls | 75 |
| 7 | Haas F1 Team | 21 |
| 8 | Audi | 16 |
| 9 | Williams | 11 |
| 10 | Aston Martin | 3 |
| 11 | Cadillac | 0 |
Looking Ahead to the Spanish Grand Prix (Madrid)
Formula 1 heads straight to the brand-new Madring circuit for the Spanish Grand Prix (September 11-13) – the first F1 race at the new Madrid venue. Antonelli arrives with a commanding 62-point lead over Russell, while Ferrari will be desperate to bounce back from Leclerc’s Monza heartbreak on home soil for Sainz.
For fans inspired to witness the next chapter of this gripping season, explore our premium travel packages for the Spanish Grand Prix and beyond – and secure your place at the heart of Formula 1’s new era.
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