Antonelli living ‘a dream’ after astonishing home win

Kimi Antonelli, the 20-year-old Mercedes driver, experienced an astonishing home win at the Formula One Grand Prix of Italy in Monza. This victory, which came after starting from 19th on the grid, marked the first home winner for the Italian Grand Prix in 60 years. Antonelli admitted on team radio that winning feels like a dream, emphasizing that he couldn't have achieved this without his team, family, and supporters.

Antonelli's win put him in a 66-point lead in the title race over his teammate George Russell. While he resisted discussing the possibility of becoming the first Italian world champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953, Antonelli expressed his disbelief and happiness at the momentous win. During the race, he faced a scare when he was attempting to overtake Russell and crashed into the gravel. However, he managed to regain control and finish the race.

Starting from the back of the grid due to penalties, Antonelli showed incredible skill and determination, moving from 19th to 12th place in the opening laps. The turning point came when Charles Leclerc crashed his Ferrari, causing a red-flag stoppage and a restart. After the second restart, Antonelli was at the front and believed he could win, especially when he was behind George Russell.

Russell acknowledged that his teammate could have pitted earlier, but the team decided to split strategies. He expressed disappointment at missing out on the win but praised Antonelli's incredible performance throughout the season. Team boss Toto Wolff praised Antonelli's controlled drive, noting that he kept his head down and passed his competitors one by one, demonstrating an amazing effort.