Kimi Antonelli wins Italian Grand Prix after climbing from 12th on restart
Italian driver Kimi Antonelli secured victory at Monza after moving up from 12th on the restart, while Ferrari and Aston Martin struggled and several midfield teams exceeded expectations.
Italian driver Kimi Antonelli claimed victory at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix, advancing from 12th on the restart grid to win the race. The win came after a chaotic start that featured a major early crash and a virtual safety car period that reshaped strategies for many competitors.
Ferrari finished sixth and also recorded a retirement, a disappointing outcome for the home team. The race saw Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc involved in a contentious incident at the first chicane, followed by Leclerc’s off-track exit at Parabolica. Hamilton later criticised the team’s approach, saying it operated with "no rules" and increased pressure on team principal Fred Vasseur.
Max Verstappen recovered to finish third, despite losing time battling Oscar Piastri after his pit stop. George Russell, who finished second, expressed frustration with the timing of the virtual safety car, which gave Antonelli and Verstappen a free pit stop. > "I was on the hard tyre and Kimi was on the medium tyre, so if either of us were to pit, it was going to be Kimi and that's why I was a little bit annoyed with the timing of that VSC," Russell said.
Lando Norris secured fourth place after overcoming a poor qualifying session and a brake issue, while his teammate Oscar Piastri finished lower in the order. Aston Martin suffered two retirements after starting from the pit lane; Fernando Alonso retired following damage at Lesmo 2, and Lance Stroll’s car failed with a hydraulic problem.
Midfield team Racing Bulls finished eighth and tenth, limiting their points loss and maintaining a small advantage over Alpine in the constructors' standings. Their drivers, Arvid Lindblad and Yuki Tsunoda, delivered consistent performances throughout the race.
Red Bull’s Liam Lawson, who also started from the pit lane after engine penalties, finished 14th after an early front-wing incident and a subsequent pit stop that hampered his progress.
Overall, the Monza race highlighted Antonelli’s rapid ascent, Ferrari’s struggles on a home circuit, and a mixed set of results for the midfield teams.