{"id":46193,"date":"2026-09-07T19:17:22","date_gmt":"2026-09-07T19:17:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/italy\/46193\/"},"modified":"2026-09-07T19:17:22","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T19:17:22","slug":"antonelli-shifting-the-f1-spotlight-from-ferrari-in-italy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/italy\/46193\/","title":{"rendered":"Antonelli shifting the F1 spotlight from Ferrari in Italy"},"content":{"rendered":"

For so long, Formula 1<\/a> in Italy has meant Ferrari<\/a>.<\/p>\n

No longer. Or at least not for now.<\/p>\n

Not with Kimi Antonelli<\/a> dominating the series.<\/p>\n

The 20-year-old Mercedes driver\u2019s charge from the back to win his home grand prix sealed Antonelli\u2019s place in the pantheon of Italian sports performances.<\/p>\n

Having started 19th, it was the furthest back any driver came from to win in more than four decades.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s more is that Antonelli became the first home driver to win the Italian GP in 60 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve seen it with other great ones in the past \u2014 Lewis (Hamilton), who did it at some of the races \u2014 that\u2019s what he\u2019s shown,\u201d Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said after Sunday\u2019s race. \u201cThere\u2019s just no stopping when a driver and a car are one. There\u2019s nothing that can stop them.\u201d<\/p>\n

In an editorial on Monday, the Gazzetta dello Sport called it \u201cone of the most memorable\u201d feats in F1 history. And it happened on a day to forget for Ferrari.<\/p>\n

Hamilton, the seven-time world champion who Antonelli replaced at Mercedes, finished sixth \u2014 more than 20 seconds behind Antonelli \u2014 and Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc crashed just five minutes in.<\/p>\n

Ferrari fans cheered at the end anyhow \u2014 for Antonelli. When he body surfed on the crowd that invaded the track for the podium celebration, most of the fans holding him aloft were wearing red Ferrari hats.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven the red-clad Ferrari fans have fallen in love with (Antonelli), dedicating the same amount of cheers as they had for Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso and Charles Leclerc when they won the Italian Grand Prix,\u201d the Gazzetta said.<\/p>\n

The Gazzetta added that Antonelli joins Alberto Tomba, Marco Pantani, Valentino Rossi and Jannik Sinner among Italy\u2019s sports heroes, calling him \u201cjust a kid who lives next door\u201d who has become \u201ca superhero.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spaghetti celebration<\/p>\n

Antonelli celebrated in true Italian style \u2014 by eating spaghetti from the trophy\u2019s bowl<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It was a well-deserved meal.<\/p>\n

Antonelli had to perform 26 passes to take the checkered flag in the biggest charge from the back since 1983 when John Watson won at Long Beach<\/a> from starting 22nd.<\/p>\n

The previous Italian winner at Monza was Ludovico Scarfiotti with Ferrari in 1966.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is one that I will remember. It\u2019s how the circle closed,\u201d Wolff said, recalling Antonelli\u2019s F1 debut at Monza<\/a> two years ago, which ended after just 10 minutes when he was involved in a high-speed crash in the first practice.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen two years later, it\u2019s the biggest glory, the biggest moment of his career that\u2019s probably going to be one of his biggest moments overall in the future,\u201d Wolff added. \u201cEven if he wins another 200 grands prix, that one will always remain special.\u201d<\/p>\n

It took Antonelli fewer than 17 laps to fight his way to the front.<\/p>\n

Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes\u2019 trackside engineering director, said Antonelli\u2019s pace enabled a two-stop strategy that may have been decisive.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe carved past cars we thought he may struggle to pass,\u201d Shovlin said.<\/p>\n

Title at home?<\/p>\n

It might not be the only time this season that Antonelli celebrates before his home fans.<\/p>\n

Antonelli moved 66 points ahead of teammate George Russell in the drivers\u2019 standings with 10 races remaining and the season finale could be moved<\/a> from Abu Dhabi to Imola due to uncertainty over the Middle East security situation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Imola is just down the road from Antonelli\u2019s hometown of Bologna.<\/p>\n

\u2018Cars\u2019 movie made it \u2018destiny\u2019<\/p>\n

Both of Antonelli\u2019s parents have been involved in motorsport \u2014 his father was a driver and a team owner and his mother helped run the family squad.<\/p>\n

Wolff signed Antonelli to Mercedes\u2019 junior team in 2018.<\/p>\n

Antonelli\u2019s mother, Veronica, said it was \u201cdestiny\u201d for their son to become an auto racing champion.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was pregnant with him, where was I when I started to have contractions? At the movies watching \u2018Cars\u2019 \u2014 a film that Kimi then must have watched 100 times as a kid,\u201d she said. \u201cHe surprises even me with his maturity and his ability to learn. He\u2019s still a kid but mentally he\u2019s just so strong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Up next for Antonelli: Tthe Spanish GP next weekend.<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

AP Sports Writer Daniella Matar in Monza contributed to this report.<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

See AP\u2019s full auto racing coverage here<\/a><\/p>\n