Kimi Antonelli ends 60-year wait for home winner at Italian GP: 'It feels like a dream'
Sensational Kimi Antonelli fought his way from the back of the grid to become the first home winner of the Italian Grand Prix since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966. The title-race leader started the race at Monza in 19th place due to engine penalties but would produce an extraordinary performance, fighting his way through the opposition to finish ahead of Mercedes teammate George Russell in second,…
Kimi Antonelli achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Italian-born driver to win the Italian Grand Prix, ending a 60-year wait. Starting the race in 19th position due to engine penalties, Antonelli fought his way through the field to claim victory, overtaking Mercedes teammate George Russell for the top spot. The German driver finished a significant 3.857 seconds behind his fellow countryman in second place, while Red Bull's Max Verstappen secured third.
The race was marred by a significant crash early on, with Red Bull's Charles Leclerc suffering a heavy impact at the end of Lap 2 at Parabolica after nearly colliding with Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton. This incident delayed the race and affected the dynamics of the competition. Russell capitalized on the chaos to take the lead during the restart but was eventually caught by Antonelli, who made a daring move to secure the win.
After the victory, Antonelli expressed his disbelief and joy, stating, "It feels like a dream." He acknowledged the difficulty he faced during the race, particularly during a moment when he lost control on a section of the track. Despite the challenges, Antonelli maintained his focus and managed to clinch the historic win. For Mercedes, the result was a significant boost, with team boss Toto Wolff praising Antonelli's controlled and composed performance throughout the race.
The win also widened Antonio's lead in the drivers' championship, now sitting at 66 points ahead of Russell.
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