HOW ANTONELLI WON MONZA FROM NINETEENTH.
Kimi Antonelli turned an engine penalty into a landmark home victory through a rapid opening charge, decisive overtaking and the tyre advantage created by a perfectly timed stop.
Image: Formula 1THE PENALTY CHANGED THE MISSION
Antonelli arrived at his home race leading the championship, but new power unit components sent him to nineteenth on the grid. Victory looked remote. His first task was therefore to escape the traffic without damaging the car or tyres, and he immediately began recovering positions.
THE EARLY CHARGE CREATED A CHANCE
By the time Charles Leclerc's crash stopped the race, Antonelli had already climbed to twelfth. He made further progress after the restart and reached the battle at the front before half distance. That speed changed the afternoon from damage limitation into a genuine contest for victory.
MERCEDES SPLIT THE STRATEGY
A Virtual Safety Car gave Mercedes a strategic choice. Antonelli stopped for fresh medium tyres while Russell remained on used hard tyres. The stop briefly sent Antonelli backwards, but it gave him the grip to regain second place and close on his team mate as Russell's tyres faded.
THE FINAL PASS SEALED HISTORY
Antonelli survived a trip through the gravel while attacking and returned to the fight. He passed Russell on the run towards Ascari with four laps remaining and won by 3.857 seconds. The result made him the first Italian winner of the Italian Grand Prix since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966.