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Kimi Antonelli strengthened his grip on the 2026 Formula 1 championship with a remarkable victory at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, recovering from 19th on the grid to claim a sensational home win.

The Mercedes driver had been forced to take a new engine before the race, resulting in a 30-place grid penalty. Despite starting near the back, Antonelli produced an outstanding charge through the field before catching and passing team-mate George Russell in the closing stages.

Russell eventually finished second, while Max Verstappen secured third after successfully defending his podium position from the McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Antonelli’s victory also extended his championship advantage to 66 points.

Ferrari endured another disappointing afternoon on home soil. Lewis Hamilton could manage only sixth place, while Charles Leclerc’s race ended early following a major crash on the second lap. The incident forced race officials to bring out the red flag.

Yuki Tsunoda also secured a point by finishing 10th for Racing Bulls in just his second appearance of the season. It was his first championship point since last November’s Qatar Grand Prix.

However, Tsunoda initially faced uncertainty over whether he would retain his position. He was investigated for a possible start procedure violation after incorrectly positioning his car in the grid box during the restart following the red flag. He subsequently moved into the correct position, but his actions caused the field to complete an additional formation lap.

An extra formation lap can normally lead to a significant penalty for the driver deemed responsible. In this case, however, the stewards concluded that Tsunoda had successfully corrected his position and therefore did not breach the relevant regulations. As a result, he kept his 10th-place finish and the championship point, moving ahead of Lance Stroll, Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas in the standings.

2026 Italian Grand Prix — Final Classification

Kimi Antonelli — Mercedes — Winner
George Russell — Mercedes — +3.857s
Max Verstappen — Red Bull — +14.718s
Lando Norris — McLaren — +19.056s
Oscar Piastri — McLaren — +19.253s
Lewis Hamilton — Ferrari — +24.655s
Pierre Gasly — Alpine — +27.351s
Arvid Lindblad — Racing Bulls — +45.136s
Franco Colapinto — Alpine — +47.353s
Yuki Tsunoda — Racing Bulls — +58.187s
Gabriel Bortoleto — Audi — +1:05.187s
Nico Hulkenberg — Audi — +1:06.187s
Carlos Sainz — Williams — +1:14.117s
Liam Lawson — Red Bull — +1:15.609s
Esteban Ocon — Haas — +1:18.958s
Oliver Bearman — Haas — +1 lap
Alex Albon — Williams — +1 lap
Sergio Perez — Cadillac — +1 lap*
Valtteri Bottas — Cadillac — +2 laps
NC — Lance Stroll — Aston Martin — DNF
NC — Fernando Alonso — Aston Martin — DNF
NC — Charles Leclerc — Ferrari — DNF