MONZA, Italy, Sep 7 — Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff had a feeling as early as Saturday that Formula One leader Kimi Antonelli might “walk over water” at Monza.
A day later, the 20-year-old delivered something close to a miracle, storming from 19th to first to win his home Italian Grand Prix and deal a major blow to Mercedes teammate and closest championship rival George Russell.
Antonelli became the first Italian to win at Monza since Ludovico Scarfiotti for Ferrari in 1966, while his triumph was the 50th by an Italian driver since the Formula One championship began in 1950.
“I thought one of the two (Mercedes drivers) was going to win,” Wolff said when asked what outcome he had expected before the start.
“George, because he was on pole (at the restart after the race was red-flagged), or Kimi because he’s going to walk over water.
“And I felt that yesterday also.
“I chatted with his father yesterday. The father saw that coming.”
Russell, who had taken the lead on lap two moments before Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc crashed heavily and halted the race for half an hour, finished runner-up, 3.857 seconds behind Antonelli, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen a distant third.
The Briton had hoped to slash Antonelli’s 59-point championship lead after the Italian took engine penalties and lined up 19th on the grid, with two other drivers starting from the pitlane.
Instead, Russell left Monza 66 points adrift after 13 rounds, with Antonelli moving ever closer to becoming Formula One’s youngest champion and Italy’s first since Alberto Ascari in 1953.
“Oh my God, oh my God,” Antonelli screamed over the team radio as he took the chequered flag for his seventh victory of the season, giving the home crowd something to celebrate after Ferrari failed to make the podium.
“I could have never imagined being here today. But we managed to pull it off and I’m really, really happy,” he said after stepping onto the podium to huge cheers.
Into the gravel
Antonelli carved his way through the field and repeatedly swapped the lead with Russell before pitting during a virtual safety car period while his teammate stayed out.
On fresher tyres, the Italian cut an 8.9-second deficit to less than a second in 10 laps, but then appeared to have squandered his chance.
While attempting to pass, Antonelli went into the gravel with four laps remaining, but recovered and retook the lead on lap 51 of 53 before pulling away.
Russell said he lacked tyres fresh enough to fight back on a scorching afternoon that was declared a heat hazard.
“It was looking like a pretty strong race from us, and then I was just struggling with the tyres towards the end. Obviously, we did the whole race on that one hard tyre,” he said.
“I thought we were both going to stay out. I was surprised to see him pitting. In the end, it was a roll of the dice both ways.”
Wolff said Antonelli’s ability to make his way through traffic after starting at the back was what ultimately made the difference.
“I’ve seen it with other great ones in the past,” said the Austrian, whose team took Lewis Hamilton to six of his seven world titles.
“When a driver and a car are one, then there’s just nothing that can stop them.”
Wolff, whose team won eight consecutive constructors’ championships from 2014 to 2021 and looks on course to take both championships this year, said he generally forgot victories but would remember this one because of the circumstances.
From Monza pain to glory
The victory also marked a remarkable turnaround for Antonelli at a circuit where he endured one of the toughest moments of his young career.
In 2024, before his rookie Formula One season the following year, the then-teenager made his Friday practice debut at Monza amid huge expectations from the home crowd, only to crash heavily into the barriers.
“It was probably the toughest moment in his career for himself and his family, a moment where everyone doubted, including himself,” Wolff recalled.
“And then two years later, it’s the biggest glory, the biggest moment of his career. It’s probably going to be one of his biggest moments for all of the future. Even if he wins another 200, that one will remain special.”
Last season, Wolff said Antonelli had at times been like a “deer in the headlights”, enduring ups and downs and still needing to prove himself.
He has done so far more quickly and comprehensively this year than many expected.
Russell began the season as the favourite and won the Australian opener, but Antonelli then reeled off five consecutive victories to transform the championship battle.
“It’s still surprising and amazing to see how quickly he develops. For me, it’s like an AI agent that continuously improves and learns,” Wolff said.
McLaren’s reigning champion Lando Norris took fourth place from teammate Oscar Piastri on the final lap but is now 96 points off the championship lead.
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton finished sixth after starting fourth and dropping to 10th when Leclerc forced him into the gravel as he attempted to pass on the opening lap.
