Kimi Antonelli has just delivered one of the most dramatic victories in Formula 1 history. Starting from 19th on the grid at the Italian Grand Prix, the young Italian driver managed to cross the finish line first in front of the passionate Tifosi at Monza. But now the question hangs in the air: is this the greatest comeback the sport has ever seen?
Antonelli, aged just 20, produced a near-perfect race. With 26 overtakes and a crucial late move to pass his teammate, George Russell, he ended Italy's 60-year wait for a home winner at Monza. The victory immediately sparked lively debate among fans and pundits alike: does it match, or even surpass, legendary comebacks like those of John Watson or Jenson Button?
To assess this, we need to look at the historical context. Some of the best comeback wins in F1 history came from different situations. John Watson in 1983 at Long Beach, for instance, started from 22nd and won despite the underpowered DFV-powered McLaren. That remains the lowest starting position ever converted into victory. Then there's Rubens Barrichello at Hockenheim 2000, who recovered from 18th and made a bold call to stay on slick tyres as rain fell, securing his maiden win after 123 starts.
However, there are also comebacks that happened mid-race, not from a lowly grid slot. Jenson Button in Canada 2011 is the most extreme example: he collided with a teammate, received a penalty, and was dead last past halfway, yet he managed to read the race brilliantly and passed Sebastian Vettel on the final lap. Sergio Perez at Sakhir 2020 also fell to last after a lap-one incident, then climbed back thanks to a patient two-stop strategy and a Mercedes pit-stop blunder.
Then there are weekend-long comebacks, like Lewis Hamilton in Sao Paulo 2021, who rose from last in the sprint and an engine penalty to beat Max Verstappen in the main race. Max Verstappen himself in 2024 at Sao Paulo produced a stunning wet-weather drive from P17 to lead by lap 43 and win by 20 seconds, effectively sealing his fourth title.
Back to Antonelli: starting from P19 at Monza after power unit penalties forced him to work extra hard. He made overtake after overtake calmly, then took advantage of a Virtual Safety Car period to pit for fresh medium tyres. After that, he hunted down Russell and passed him with just three laps remaining. That moment happened in front of his home crowd, under immense pressure, against a teammate in strong form.
If we look at the number of positions gained (18), Antonelli's win is on par with Watson's and Button's, but the context differs. Watson and Button did it in cars that weren't dominant, while Antonelli was in a competitive Mercedes. However, the pressure of racing at home and the historic victory after 60 years give it tremendous emotional weight. Is it the greatest? It's hard to compare objectively, but one thing is certain: Antonelli has created a moment that will be remembered in F1 history.
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