A historic moment unfolded at the Kimi Antonelli as Mercedes took a bold strategic gamble with an engine penalty at their home race. Starting from 19th, the 20-year-old made 26 overtakes and pitted under the Virtual Safety Car for fresh medium tyres. The decisive move came at Ascari on lap 50 of 53, overtaking his teammate, George Russell, whose hard tyres were fading. Antonelli swept to victory, also setting the fastest lap, becoming the first Italian winner at Monza since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966.
Meanwhile, Pierre Gasly had a stellar Saturday, claiming his maiden F1 pole position after 191 grands prix. His 1:21.786 in Q3 edged out Russell by just 0.060 seconds, marking Alpine's first pole since the Renault days in Hungary 2009. However, on race day, the midfield car couldn't hold the lead. Gasly led initially but faded as laps progressed, ultimately finishing seventh, about 27 seconds behind Antonelli.
Max Verstappen, starting fifth, drove aggressively and briefly led on lap 12 after overtaking Russell at the first chicane. Despite a rear-axle issue, he managed to finish third after pitting under VSC and passing Gasly, Norris, and Hamilton. With the RB22 not at its best at Monza, this podium is a significant achievement for the Dutchman.
Franco Colapinto also deserves recognition. Starting from P7, he was battling Verstappen for third before a mistake on lap six dropped him to 16th. However, the Argentine regrouped and finished ninth, scoring two points for Alpine. His raw pace and fighting spirit are commendable.
On the flip side, Charles Leclerc had a weekend to forget. A heavy crash at Parabolica on lap two ended his race after losing the rear while defending from Oscar Piastri. The impact was reported at around 60G, but he walked away and was cleared by the FIA medical centre. For Ferrari, it was a huge disappointment in front of the tifosi.
With this result, the championship battle intensifies. Antonelli closes the gap, while Verstappen remains consistent on the podium. Monza 2026 will be remembered as one of the most dramatic races in modern F1 history.
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