Kimi Antonelli may have just secured the most memorable Formula 1 victory of his career, but Mercedes boss Toto Wolff insists he sensed it as early as Saturday. No matter how many races Antonelli wins in his F1 career, Wolff believes Monza 2026 will always hold a special place in the young Italian's heart.
September 6 once again proved to be a magical date at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, just as it was six years ago when Pierre Gasly triumphed for AlphaTauri. This time, however, the hero was local favourite Kimi Antonelli, who sent the tifosi into raptures after they had been in tears following Charles Leclerc's heavy crash at Parabolica.
Antonelli started from 19th on the grid after a power unit change, a decision taken to ease the pressure. But the championship leader defied all expectations, climbing to 12th by the time the red flag flew, and then slicing through the field like a hot knife through butter after the restart to take a stunning win.
Wolff, never one to show much emotion, admitted he had a strong feeling since qualifying. "I thought one of our two drivers was going to win. George because he was on pole, or Kimi because he's going to walk on water here in Monza. And I felt that yesterday also," he said. He even chatted with Antonelli's father, who shared the same premonition.
For Wolff, such moments are a blend of intuition and observation. "It's been a while that I've seen driver's energy levels, attitude, mindset, or behavioural patterns, and I knew that that was his mission today," he explained. Although racing is a mechanical sport that can change quickly, Wolff believes there are special moments that can be sensed beforehand.
This victory also etched a piece of history: only one driver has ever won from further back on the grid, John Watson at Long Beach in 1983. Wolff laughed when asked where this ranks among his most special wins. "This sounds very unromantic now, but I forget about wins," he said. "There are a few that I remember, like Pastor Maldonado in Barcelona, or Nico Rosberg in Monaco."
But for Antonelli, winning in front of his home crowd is clearly different. It is not just another points haul; it is proof that he has the mentality of a true champion. And Wolff, who has known him for years, never doubted it.
Read Also
Toto Wolff admitted the duel between Kimi Antonelli and George Russell at the Italian GP nearly ended in disaster. Read the full analysis on Sportrik.
Charles Leclerc blames media for pushing a Ferrari rivalry narrative after his clash with Lewis Hamilton at the Italian GP. Hamilton responds sharply.
Lewis Hamilton rejects Charles Leclerc's version of their Monza clash, asserting he was ahead at Turn 2 and calling for procedural changes within Ferrari.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!