Lando Norris wins Spanish Grand Prix qualifying, overtaking Kimi Antonelli

The Italian driver Kimi Antonelli, representing Mercedes, won the Italian Grand Prix, the sixteenth round of the Formula 1 season, thus consolidating his position at the top of the world championship.

The young Mercedes driver achieved a remarkable comeback in front of the Italian public, becoming the first Italian to win in Monza since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966, and also the driver to triumph in the Italian Grand Prix starting from the lowest grid position.

The race was interrupted with a red flag after four laps due to a serious accident involving Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) at the Parabolic corner. Leclerc lost control of his car while defending his position against Piastri and collided with the barriers at speeds exceeding 250 km/h, although he managed to exit the vehicle on his own.

This incident damaged the safety barriers and forced an approximately fifteen-minute pause, resulting in the resumption of the race with a new start. Antonelli capitalized on this regrouping moment to continue his recovery, taking the lead on the sixteenth lap after successively overtaking the competitors ahead of him.

The decision to race occurred during a virtual safety car period, triggered by the withdrawal of Canadian Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) due to a hydraulic issue. The Mercedes team called Antonelli into the pits to install new medium tires, while Russell remained on track with used hard tires. Thanks to the greater grip, the Italian reduced the gap to his teammate and made the overtake in the final laps.

Antonelli demonstrated skill by passing through the gravel trap when attacking Russell in the first chicane, avoiding the obstacle and executing the maneuver shortly after, securing the victory. The Italian driver expressed great emotion via radio, stating that he was very proud, celebrating with an Italian flag in front of the fans who invaded the finish line.

Performance of other drivers

British driver Lewis Hamilton achieved the best result among the Ferrari drivers, finishing in sixth place. He finished behind Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, both from McLaren, and ahead of Pierre Gasly (Alpine), who had started from pole position but could not maintain the pace of the leaders after a promising start.

Other drivers who scored points included Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls), Franco Colapinto (Alpine), and Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls). Spanish drivers Carlos Sainz (Williams) and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) had less productive races; Sainz finished in thirteenth place, and Alonso had to retire on the twenty-fifth lap due to damage to his car after leaving the track.

With this victory, which is his seventh both in career and in the season, Antonelli accumulated 267 points, increasing his lead to 66 points over Russell, who is in second place in the championship. Hamilton, meanwhile, is in third place with 191 points.

The young Italian stressed that this is a dream come true, mentioning that there are still races left until the end of the championship, and emphasized the need to maintain focus and humility. The next round will be the Spanish GP, which will debut at the urban circuit of Madrid next weekend.

Kimi Antonelli, who recently turned 20, does not display excessive self-confidence, even though he holds a 59-point lead after twelve rounds of the 2026 Formula 1 championship. This sensational driver for the Mercedes team has set several records on his way to the drivers' championship lead in only his second season in the series.

Antonelli leads his teammates George Russell and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari by 59 points. Despite the successes with the 'Silver Arrows' and the apparent readiness for a world title, Antonelli realizes that victory is still far off, especially considering the example of Oscar Piastri, who missed the title while leading for most of the 2025 season. He emphasized: 'The work is not finished. We are only halfway, and there is still so much to do and achieve.'

In the current season, Antonelli has secured six victories and four podium finishes in 12 races, maximizing his car's potential. Before the mid-season F1 break, he had a 50-point lead and used the break to step out of the 'zone' and spend time with his family. He noted that they discussed Formula 1 during dinner, recalling their achievements, but maintained focus and did not allow themselves to relax.

In 2025, the Italian driver faced difficulties, finishing seventh in the championship with only three podiums. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff called his performance at the Monza Grand Prix 'unsatisfactory,' but this season Antonelli managed to change the situation, relying on accumulated experience. Antonelli believes that experience plays a huge role, and although he admits there is still much for him to master, he thinks last year helped him grow more than he expected, strengthening him emotionally and mentally.

Antonelli, who turned 20 on August 25th, is enjoying the newfound fame. He tries to embrace this moment fully, acknowledging that it is impossible to please everyone. He stressed that fans are very important and are an integral part of the sport, making it even more significant. Seeing their enthusiasm and support always brings him pleasure.

As part of his historic run, Antonelli has become the youngest F1 championship leader, the youngest pole position holder, and the first driver to register three wins from the first three pole positions. Now he aims to become the youngest F1 world champion, surpassing the record of Sebastian Vettel, who won his title in 2010 at the age of 23 years and 134 days.