10 days ago
Ferrari had a perfectly good explanation for Austin qualifying ready before the cars were back in the garage: the straights. Lewis Hamilton said rivals keep accelerating where the Ferrari lifts, and he put the Red Bull Ford power unit's advantage at roughly three to four tenths a lap, while admitting he hadn't seen the data that weekend. It is a tidy story. It is also only half of what the official timing sheet says.
Here is the awkward detail: Charles Leclerc's quickest lap of the weekend came in Q2, not Q3. He went 1:34.198 to top the second session, then 1:34.267 in the shootout. Had he simply repeated the Q2 lap, it would have been quicker than every Q3 time except Kimi Antonelli's pole lap of 1:34.035. A straight-line deficit doesn't switch on between sessions, so something else changed in Q3.
Lining up each driver's Q2 and Q3 laps is revealing. Hamilton found 0.522s between sessions and still ended up fifth, 0.276s off pole. Isack Hadjar found 0.637s. Max Verstappen found 0.257s and Antonelli 0.243s. Leclerc found nothing; he went backwards by 0.069s and finished fourth, 0.232s adrift.
Leclerc's own explanation was the track cooling down and the tyres not coming up to temperature cleanly in Q3. Fred Vasseur said Ferrari was in the pole fight until the final corner. Those aren't the words of a team that was out-powered by half a second down the straights. They describe a team that left time in the final sector on a one-lap run where the window for the tyres is narrow.
To be clear, Hamilton's straight-line complaint can be true at the same time. A car that gives away a few tenths in a straight line needs everything else to be perfect on a qualifying lap, and Ferrari's margin for a slightly cold tyre is thinner than it looks. That is my read, not something either driver said, but it fits the numbers: Ferrari looked like pole contenders in Q2 and a fraction short in Q3 because the margin vanished the moment the tyres weren't ideal.
#pole #found #straight #qualifying
Here is the awkward detail: Charles Leclerc's quickest lap of the weekend came in Q2, not Q3. He went 1:34.198 to top the second session, then 1:34.267 in the shootout. Had he simply repeated the Q2 lap, it would have been quicker than every Q3 time except Kimi Antonelli's pole lap of 1:34.035. A straight-line deficit doesn't switch on between sessions, so something else changed in Q3.
Lining up each driver's Q2 and Q3 laps is revealing. Hamilton found 0.522s between sessions and still ended up fifth, 0.276s off pole. Isack Hadjar found 0.637s. Max Verstappen found 0.257s and Antonelli 0.243s. Leclerc found nothing; he went backwards by 0.069s and finished fourth, 0.232s adrift.
Leclerc's own explanation was the track cooling down and the tyres not coming up to temperature cleanly in Q3. Fred Vasseur said Ferrari was in the pole fight until the final corner. Those aren't the words of a team that was out-powered by half a second down the straights. They describe a team that left time in the final sector on a one-lap run where the window for the tyres is narrow.
To be clear, Hamilton's straight-line complaint can be true at the same time. A car that gives away a few tenths in a straight line needs everything else to be perfect on a qualifying lap, and Ferrari's margin for a slightly cold tyre is thinner than it looks. That is my read, not something either driver said, but it fits the numbers: Ferrari looked like pole contenders in Q2 and a fraction short in Q3 because the margin vanished the moment the tyres weren't ideal.
#pole #found #straight #qualifying
21 days ago
Round 18 of the 2026 Formula 1 season heads to the Circuit of the Americas for the United States Grand Prix, from 23-25 October.
In the previous race in Singapore, it was a dominant weekend for Max Verstappen who qualified on pole and won for both the sprint and main race - his first victories at the Marina Bay Circuit.
The Ferraris were consistently on the Dutchman's tail for the majority of the weekend, but a poor strategy call from Lewis Hamilton meant he could only finish sixth. His team-mate Charles Leclerc finished second with Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli third.
Antonelli has his first opportunity to secure this year's world **** le in Austin. For that to happen, the Italian must win the race with Mercedes team-mate Russell ninth or lower and Hamilton finishing fifth or lower.
The clocks go back in the UK on race day so we will be on BST for the Friday and Saturday sessions but GMT for the race.
#team
In the previous race in Singapore, it was a dominant weekend for Max Verstappen who qualified on pole and won for both the sprint and main race - his first victories at the Marina Bay Circuit.
The Ferraris were consistently on the Dutchman's tail for the majority of the weekend, but a poor strategy call from Lewis Hamilton meant he could only finish sixth. His team-mate Charles Leclerc finished second with Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli third.
Antonelli has his first opportunity to secure this year's world **** le in Austin. For that to happen, the Italian must win the race with Mercedes team-mate Russell ninth or lower and Hamilton finishing fifth or lower.
The clocks go back in the UK on race day so we will be on BST for the Friday and Saturday sessions but GMT for the race.
#team
2 months ago
Max Verstappen has admitted he came close to stepping away from Formula 1 before extending his deal with Red Bull last month, despite holding discussions with rival teams.
Speaking to German publication Bild after agreeing a deal until 2030, the four-time world champion discussed retirement thoughts and confirmed talks took place with McLaren.
"You have to take every conversation with another team seriously," Verstappen said. "But in the end, I was closer to quitting Formula 1 than to signing with another racing team."
"You either quit or you don't, so it's a 50/50 decision," he added. "I seriously considered calling it quits. But at the end of the day, I just love racing."
The 28-year-old won four consecutive F1 **** les from 2021 to 2024, but remains winless this season. He sits sixth in the standings following Sunday's runner-up finish at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, 147 points adrift of Mercedes leader Kimi Antonelli.
#bull
Speaking to German publication Bild after agreeing a deal until 2030, the four-time world champion discussed retirement thoughts and confirmed talks took place with McLaren.
"You have to take every conversation with another team seriously," Verstappen said. "But in the end, I was closer to quitting Formula 1 than to signing with another racing team."
"You either quit or you don't, so it's a 50/50 decision," he added. "I seriously considered calling it quits. But at the end of the day, I just love racing."
The 28-year-old won four consecutive F1 **** les from 2021 to 2024, but remains winless this season. He sits sixth in the standings following Sunday's runner-up finish at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, 147 points adrift of Mercedes leader Kimi Antonelli.
#bull
2 months ago
MADRID (AP) — Changes are expected to the new Madring track next year after its lackluster debut at the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend.
Organizers said they are open to trying to improve the layout that produced virtually no overtaking opportunities and drew widespread criticism from Formula 1 drivers. The lack of track action was criticized by fans as well as F1 returned to Madrid after a 45-year absence.
Event director Luis García Abad said that governing body FIA has already indicated the changes that might be needed on the urban track that mixes existing roads and purpose-built sections. Madrid signed a 10-year contract to be on the F1 calendar.
"Well, to be honest, FIA has clearly defined how to improve the circuit layout, and we will be open to that because we will have to refurbish the circuit for next year," Abad told Motorsport.com.
Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli won Sunday's race after pole-sitter Lando Norris caught an unlucky break with the timing of the deployment of the virtual safety car. Norris ended third, behind Max Verstappen.
#track #improve
Organizers said they are open to trying to improve the layout that produced virtually no overtaking opportunities and drew widespread criticism from Formula 1 drivers. The lack of track action was criticized by fans as well as F1 returned to Madrid after a 45-year absence.
Event director Luis García Abad said that governing body FIA has already indicated the changes that might be needed on the urban track that mixes existing roads and purpose-built sections. Madrid signed a 10-year contract to be on the F1 calendar.
"Well, to be honest, FIA has clearly defined how to improve the circuit layout, and we will be open to that because we will have to refurbish the circuit for next year," Abad told Motorsport.com.
Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli won Sunday's race after pole-sitter Lando Norris caught an unlucky break with the timing of the deployment of the virtual safety car. Norris ended third, behind Max Verstappen.
#track #improve
2 months ago
The inaugural Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring has drawn heavy criticism from F1 fans and drivers over the limited overtaking opportunities on the narrow circuit. Its layout reportedly made the race a dull spectacle for many, and now even Spain's Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, has weighed in. Puente didn't hold back, describing the event as "an absolute dud."
Puente has kept his criticism constructive, comparing the Spanish GP with the Monaco GP, which is also known for offering limited overtaking opportunities. Monaco's narrow city streets have become increasingly challenging as F1 cars have grown larger over the decades, while significantly widening the roads is simply not a realistic option.
Despite Monaco's reputation for limited overtaking, this year's race featured 10 overtakes during the entire race, according to a social media post from Autosport. By comparison, the Madrid race last weekend saw just four overtakes.
Spanish Grand Prix, Sunday Madrid: Motorsport: FIA F1 Grand Prix of Spain, Formula 1 2026
on September, 13, 2026, (Photo by Hoch Zwei)
Start
01 NORRIS Lando (gbr), McLaren F1 Team MCL40, action
12 KIMI ANTONELLI Andrea (ita), Mercedes AMG F1 Team W17, action
44 HAMILTON Lewis (gbr), Scuderia Ferrari SF-26, action
Puente expressed his view while replying to a user on X who stated that the sporting side of the event suffered the most. The minister wrote:
#spanish #race #team
Puente has kept his criticism constructive, comparing the Spanish GP with the Monaco GP, which is also known for offering limited overtaking opportunities. Monaco's narrow city streets have become increasingly challenging as F1 cars have grown larger over the decades, while significantly widening the roads is simply not a realistic option.
Despite Monaco's reputation for limited overtaking, this year's race featured 10 overtakes during the entire race, according to a social media post from Autosport. By comparison, the Madrid race last weekend saw just four overtakes.
Spanish Grand Prix, Sunday Madrid: Motorsport: FIA F1 Grand Prix of Spain, Formula 1 2026
on September, 13, 2026, (Photo by Hoch Zwei)
Start
01 NORRIS Lando (gbr), McLaren F1 Team MCL40, action
12 KIMI ANTONELLI Andrea (ita), Mercedes AMG F1 Team W17, action
44 HAMILTON Lewis (gbr), Scuderia Ferrari SF-26, action
Puente expressed his view while replying to a user on X who stated that the sporting side of the event suffered the most. The minister wrote:
#spanish #race #team
2 months ago
F1 free live streams: How to watch Formula 1 2026 Spanish Grand Prix without cable originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
This weekend marks a historic return to Madrid for Formula 1, with the Spanish Grand Prix taking place at the brand new Madring on Sunday.
The Madring marks the first all-new venue to be added to the F1 calendar since the Las Vegas Strip Circuit in 2023, meaning drivers have no idea what to expect. The layout features a combination of public roads and new purpose-built sections, as well as an intense Turn 12 nicknamed 'La Monumental', which is officially the longest banked corner in the sport.
Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli returned to winning ways at his home race in Monza last week, even with a grid penalty that started him in the 19th position. The 19-year-old is still holding strong at the top of the Drivers' Championship standings, with teammate George Russell 66 points behind.
F1 hasn't competed in the Spanish capital in 45 years. Who will become the inaugural champion at the Madring?
#madring #grand #marks #preferred
This weekend marks a historic return to Madrid for Formula 1, with the Spanish Grand Prix taking place at the brand new Madring on Sunday.
The Madring marks the first all-new venue to be added to the F1 calendar since the Las Vegas Strip Circuit in 2023, meaning drivers have no idea what to expect. The layout features a combination of public roads and new purpose-built sections, as well as an intense Turn 12 nicknamed 'La Monumental', which is officially the longest banked corner in the sport.
Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli returned to winning ways at his home race in Monza last week, even with a grid penalty that started him in the 19th position. The 19-year-old is still holding strong at the top of the Drivers' Championship standings, with teammate George Russell 66 points behind.
F1 hasn't competed in the Spanish capital in 45 years. Who will become the inaugural champion at the Madring?
#madring #grand #marks #preferred
2 months ago
Defending champion Lando Norris narrowly beat championship leader Kimi Antonelli to claim pole position for the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix on Saturday.
The McLaren driver topped the timesheets with the best time of 1 minute 31.824 seconds on the new Madrid circuit to take his third pole of the season.
Antonelli was just 0.011 seconds behind, while Max Verstappen of Red Bull completed the top three, 0.140 seconds off the pace.
Lewis Hamilton thought he would recover from a crash in the final practice session in style as he had provisional pole with the fastest time after the first flying laps.
But the seven-time champion was beaten by Antonelli, who then lost the top position to Norris.
#champion
The McLaren driver topped the timesheets with the best time of 1 minute 31.824 seconds on the new Madrid circuit to take his third pole of the season.
Antonelli was just 0.011 seconds behind, while Max Verstappen of Red Bull completed the top three, 0.140 seconds off the pace.
Lewis Hamilton thought he would recover from a crash in the final practice session in style as he had provisional pole with the fastest time after the first flying laps.
But the seven-time champion was beaten by Antonelli, who then lost the top position to Norris.
#champion
2 months ago
Lando Norris took a superb pole position for McLaren at the Spanish Grand Prix, beating Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli and Red Bull's Max Verstappen in a breathless final few seconds of qualifying.
"Oh, what a lap, gorgeous," said an ecstatic Norris after pipping world championship leader Antonelli by just 0.011 seconds. "Oh, that might be my best one."
Verstappen was 0.140secs off the pace, as all three moved ahead of Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari.
The seven-time champion had held the top spot after the first runs in the final session.
Hamilton's team-mate Charles Leclerc was fifth, ahead of Mercedes' George Russell and the second McLaren of Oscar Piastri.
#mercedes
"Oh, what a lap, gorgeous," said an ecstatic Norris after pipping world championship leader Antonelli by just 0.011 seconds. "Oh, that might be my best one."
Verstappen was 0.140secs off the pace, as all three moved ahead of Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari.
The seven-time champion had held the top spot after the first runs in the final session.
Hamilton's team-mate Charles Leclerc was fifth, ahead of Mercedes' George Russell and the second McLaren of Oscar Piastri.
#mercedes
2 months ago
Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli climbed from 19th on the grid to win the Italian Grand Prix - his home race - in one of the great Formula 1 drives.
Antonelli extended his lead at the top of the drivers' standings to 66 points over team-mate George Russell.
Max Verstappen, in the Red Bull, finished third to complete the podium at Monza.
BBC Sport F1 correspondent Andrew Benson answers your latest questions before round 14 of the 2026 season in Madrid, Spain.
Antonelli 'walks over water' for win that will go down in F1 folklore
#grand #formula #verstappen
Antonelli extended his lead at the top of the drivers' standings to 66 points over team-mate George Russell.
Max Verstappen, in the Red Bull, finished third to complete the podium at Monza.
BBC Sport F1 correspondent Andrew Benson answers your latest questions before round 14 of the 2026 season in Madrid, Spain.
Antonelli 'walks over water' for win that will go down in F1 folklore
#grand #formula #verstappen
2 months ago
Kimi Antonelli's stunning victory in the Italian Grand Prix from 19th on the grid will go down in Formula 1 folklore - and, remarkably, his team boss Toto Wolff said that he had seen it coming on Saturday.
After Sunday's race, Wolff said that beforehand he thought that one of his two drivers was going to be standing on the top of the podium.
It was an eye-opening statement given they started the race 17 places apart on the grid, George Russell on the front row alongside shock pole winner Pierre Gasly's Alpine; Antonelli on the penultimate row.
"I thought one of the two is going to win," Wolff said. "Either George, because he was on the front row, or Kimi because he's going to walk over water, here at Monza. And I felt that yesterday also."
Wolff was asked to explain why he felt a performance he was comparing to a miracle was on the cards.
#kimi #george #grid
After Sunday's race, Wolff said that beforehand he thought that one of his two drivers was going to be standing on the top of the podium.
It was an eye-opening statement given they started the race 17 places apart on the grid, George Russell on the front row alongside shock pole winner Pierre Gasly's Alpine; Antonelli on the penultimate row.
"I thought one of the two is going to win," Wolff said. "Either George, because he was on the front row, or Kimi because he's going to walk over water, here at Monza. And I felt that yesterday also."
Wolff was asked to explain why he felt a performance he was comparing to a miracle was on the cards.
#kimi #george #grid
2 months ago
Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli took a breathtaking victory in an incident-packed Italian Grand Prix from 19th place on the grid.
The Italian caught and passed his team-mate George Russell, who started second, with three laps to go to extend his championship lead to 66 points.
Antonelli's performance is the second furthest back a driver has ever come from to win a grand prix after John Watson's victory from 22nd on the grid in the 1983 United States Grand Prix West.
It was a statement performance from the 20-year-old, who remarkably was on Russell's tail and challenging for victory within 16 laps of the start.
Antonelli looked capable of winning any which way, but decided to stop for fresh tyres under a virtual safety car mid-race and narrowed a 15-second gap to nothing before carving past Russell.
#second #grid
The Italian caught and passed his team-mate George Russell, who started second, with three laps to go to extend his championship lead to 66 points.
Antonelli's performance is the second furthest back a driver has ever come from to win a grand prix after John Watson's victory from 22nd on the grid in the 1983 United States Grand Prix West.
It was a statement performance from the 20-year-old, who remarkably was on Russell's tail and challenging for victory within 16 laps of the start.
Antonelli looked capable of winning any which way, but decided to stop for fresh tyres under a virtual safety car mid-race and narrowed a 15-second gap to nothing before carving past Russell.
#second #grid
2 months ago
Round 14 of the 2026 Formula 1 season heads to the new Madring circuit, for the Spanish Grand Prix, from 11-13 September.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli came back from 19th on the grid for a spectacular win in front of his home fans at the Italian Grand Prix.
In another surprise during the weekend, Alpine's Pierre Gasly managed to secure the first pole position of his career on Saturday.
Antonelli was joined by his Mercedes team-mate George Russell on the Monza podium, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen third.
It was a disappointing weekend for Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc crashing out of the race and Lewis Hamilton finishing sixth.
#madring
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli came back from 19th on the grid for a spectacular win in front of his home fans at the Italian Grand Prix.
In another surprise during the weekend, Alpine's Pierre Gasly managed to secure the first pole position of his career on Saturday.
Antonelli was joined by his Mercedes team-mate George Russell on the Monza podium, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen third.
It was a disappointing weekend for Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc crashing out of the race and Lewis Hamilton finishing sixth.
#madring
2 months ago
Lewis Hamilton says it is "far too late" for Ferrari to give him priority over team-mate Charles Leclerc in the championship fight, following a disappointing weekend at their home Italian Grand Prix.
The seven-time world champion, who started fourth and finished sixth, was pushed on to the grass by Leclerc on the opening lap, slipping him down to 10th, as the pair battled wheel-to-wheel at the exit of the first chicane.
Leclerc then suffered a high-speed crash at the Parabolica shortly after to leave Hamilton as Ferrari's only hope of a top-three finish.
Once the race restarted following the red-flag period caused by Leclerc's crash, Hamilton never fully rejoined the fight at the front, and with Mercedes securing a one-two finish at Monza, he has fallen further back in the championship fight.
The 41-year-old, who was level on points with second-placed Russell in the standings before Sunday's race, is now 10 behind his old Silver Arrows team-mate, and 76 points adrift of **** le leader and race winner Antonelli.
#team #championship
The seven-time world champion, who started fourth and finished sixth, was pushed on to the grass by Leclerc on the opening lap, slipping him down to 10th, as the pair battled wheel-to-wheel at the exit of the first chicane.
Leclerc then suffered a high-speed crash at the Parabolica shortly after to leave Hamilton as Ferrari's only hope of a top-three finish.
Once the race restarted following the red-flag period caused by Leclerc's crash, Hamilton never fully rejoined the fight at the front, and with Mercedes securing a one-two finish at Monza, he has fallen further back in the championship fight.
The 41-year-old, who was level on points with second-placed Russell in the standings before Sunday's race, is now 10 behind his old Silver Arrows team-mate, and 76 points adrift of **** le leader and race winner Antonelli.
#team #championship
2 months ago
Kimi Antonelli pulled off one of the fightbacks of the ages as he fought from 19th on the grid to win the Italian Grand Prix.
The 20-year-old's stunning victory came after he caught and passed his team-mate George Russell with three laps to go.
Russell, who had started second and battled for the lead with Antonelli earlier in the race before holding on to first until the closing stages, is now 66 points behind in the drivers' championship.
Meanwhile, it was a difficult day for Ferrari in front of the tifosi, with Charles Leclerc enduring a high-speed crash at the Parabolica early on while Lewis Hamilton was forced to settle for sixth.
Here are my ratings for how the drivers performed across the whole weekend in Monza.
#Ferrari
The 20-year-old's stunning victory came after he caught and passed his team-mate George Russell with three laps to go.
Russell, who had started second and battled for the lead with Antonelli earlier in the race before holding on to first until the closing stages, is now 66 points behind in the drivers' championship.
Meanwhile, it was a difficult day for Ferrari in front of the tifosi, with Charles Leclerc enduring a high-speed crash at the Parabolica early on while Lewis Hamilton was forced to settle for sixth.
Here are my ratings for how the drivers performed across the whole weekend in Monza.
#Ferrari
2 months ago
Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli took a breathtaking victory in an incident-packed Italian Grand Prix from 19th place on the grid.
The Italian caught and passed his team-mate George Russell, who started second, with three laps to go to extend his championship lead to 66 points.
Antonelli's performance is the second furthest back a driver has ever come from to win a grand prix after John Watson's victory from 22nd on the grid in the 1983 United States Grand Prix West.
It was a statement performance from the 20-year-old, who remarkably was on Russell's tail and challenging for victory within 16 laps of the start.
Antonelli looked capable of winning any which way, but decided to stop for fresh tyres under a virtual safety car mid-race and narrowed a 15-second gap to nothing before carving past Russell.
#prix #grid #laps #performance
The Italian caught and passed his team-mate George Russell, who started second, with three laps to go to extend his championship lead to 66 points.
Antonelli's performance is the second furthest back a driver has ever come from to win a grand prix after John Watson's victory from 22nd on the grid in the 1983 United States Grand Prix West.
It was a statement performance from the 20-year-old, who remarkably was on Russell's tail and challenging for victory within 16 laps of the start.
Antonelli looked capable of winning any which way, but decided to stop for fresh tyres under a virtual safety car mid-race and narrowed a 15-second gap to nothing before carving past Russell.
#prix #grid #laps #performance
2 months ago
Kimi Antonelli showed why he appears to be Formula One's champion-elect as he became the first Italian since Ludovico Scarfiotti 60 years ago to win his home race, despite starting 19th.
Antonelli, who elected to take a grid penalty at Monza for taking a new engine, spent the entire race hunting down Mercedes team mate George Russell, finally passing the Briton on lap 50 of 53.
Antonelli benefited from an early red flag after Charles Leclerc smashed into the barriers at Parabolica on what was an awful day for Ferrari.
Antonelli also took advantage of a mid-race virtual safety car to switch tyres when Russell stayed out in the lead.
Antonelli started in 19th spot, but still managed to overhaul his team-mate George Russell - Marco Bertorello/Getty Images
#race #mate
Antonelli, who elected to take a grid penalty at Monza for taking a new engine, spent the entire race hunting down Mercedes team mate George Russell, finally passing the Briton on lap 50 of 53.
Antonelli benefited from an early red flag after Charles Leclerc smashed into the barriers at Parabolica on what was an awful day for Ferrari.
Antonelli also took advantage of a mid-race virtual safety car to switch tyres when Russell stayed out in the lead.
Antonelli started in 19th spot, but still managed to overhaul his team-mate George Russell - Marco Bertorello/Getty Images
#race #mate
2 months ago
It was a script that not even the most optimistic Italian fans could have written. Taking a grid penalty that relegated him to the back row of the grid, championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli appeared to be strictly on a damage-limitation run. Instead, the 20-year-old Mercedes prodigy delivered the drive of his life, executing a massive number of overtakes to carve through the entire field and secure a sensational victory at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix.
With the breathtaking win, Antonelli became the first Italian driver to win at Monza since Ludovico Scarfiotti achieved the feat for Ferrari exactly 60 years ago in 1966.
Antonelli's path to the top step of the podium required slicing past 18 different cars on track, systematically hunting down the leaders before a late Virtual Safety Car gave him the tire advantage he needed to pass his teammate, George Russell.
Speaking to the media in the aftermath of the historic victory, the young Italian was visibly overwhelmed by the scale of his achievement. When asked if he ever imagined he could go from 19th to becoming the first Italian to win the race in six decades, Antonelli was almost speechless.
"And yeah, unbelievable. Unbelievable," Antonelli admitted. "I'm so happy, and I could have never imagined to be here today, but you know, we managed to pull it off, and I'm really, really happy."
#italian #unbelievable #first #happy
With the breathtaking win, Antonelli became the first Italian driver to win at Monza since Ludovico Scarfiotti achieved the feat for Ferrari exactly 60 years ago in 1966.
Antonelli's path to the top step of the podium required slicing past 18 different cars on track, systematically hunting down the leaders before a late Virtual Safety Car gave him the tire advantage he needed to pass his teammate, George Russell.
Speaking to the media in the aftermath of the historic victory, the young Italian was visibly overwhelmed by the scale of his achievement. When asked if he ever imagined he could go from 19th to becoming the first Italian to win the race in six decades, Antonelli was almost speechless.
"And yeah, unbelievable. Unbelievable," Antonelli admitted. "I'm so happy, and I could have never imagined to be here today, but you know, we managed to pull it off, and I'm really, really happy."
#italian #unbelievable #first #happy
2 months ago
For the vast majority of the 2026 Italian Grand Prix, George Russell appeared completely in control of his own destiny. After pulling off a sharp opening-lap move on pole-sitter Pierre Gasly and surviving the Lap 3 red flag triggered by Charles Leclerc's crash, the Mercedes driver looked poised to convert his front-row start into a commanding victory at the Temple of Speed.
Instead, a critical strategic gamble under a late Virtual Safety Car completely upended the race, leaving Russell defenseless on fading rubber while his teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli charged from the back of the grid to **** the win.
Mercedes opted for an extreme tire management strategy with Russell, keeping him out on a single set of hard compound tires following the early race stoppage. But when a late Virtual Safety Car period neutralized the field, the Silver Arrows pit wall was forced to make a high-stakes tactical call: preserve track position or pit for fresher, faster rubber.
While Russell remained out on track to protect the race lead, Antonelli and Red Bull's Max Verstappen both dove into the pits for fresh tires. The stark difference in grip proved decisive in the final laps, as Antonelli rapidly eliminated the gap and swept past Russell to claim an astonishing victory from 19th on the grid.
Speaking post-race, Russell admitted he never expected the team to bring Antonelli in.
#russell
Instead, a critical strategic gamble under a late Virtual Safety Car completely upended the race, leaving Russell defenseless on fading rubber while his teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli charged from the back of the grid to **** the win.
Mercedes opted for an extreme tire management strategy with Russell, keeping him out on a single set of hard compound tires following the early race stoppage. But when a late Virtual Safety Car period neutralized the field, the Silver Arrows pit wall was forced to make a high-stakes tactical call: preserve track position or pit for fresher, faster rubber.
While Russell remained out on track to protect the race lead, Antonelli and Red Bull's Max Verstappen both dove into the pits for fresh tires. The stark difference in grip proved decisive in the final laps, as Antonelli rapidly eliminated the gap and swept past Russell to claim an astonishing victory from 19th on the grid.
Speaking post-race, Russell admitted he never expected the team to bring Antonelli in.
#russell
2 months ago
There are days when you know you are witnessing something special.
That was Sunday at the Italian Grand Prix.
Kimi Antonelli, starting down in P19 Sunday at Monday due to a change in his power unit, rocketed his way through the field not just to take a podium finish, but to win outright and take a huge step forward towards winning his first Formula 1 Drivers' Championship.
His performance at Monza makes it seem like if he indeed wins a ***** le this season, it will not be his last.
Antonelli carved his way through the field, working up to P12 for an early restart after a huge shunt from Charles Leclerc brought out a red flag on the third lap of the race. By Lap 9 Antonelli was up into sixth place.
#huge
That was Sunday at the Italian Grand Prix.
Kimi Antonelli, starting down in P19 Sunday at Monday due to a change in his power unit, rocketed his way through the field not just to take a podium finish, but to win outright and take a huge step forward towards winning his first Formula 1 Drivers' Championship.
His performance at Monza makes it seem like if he indeed wins a ***** le this season, it will not be his last.
Antonelli carved his way through the field, working up to P12 for an early restart after a huge shunt from Charles Leclerc brought out a red flag on the third lap of the race. By Lap 9 Antonelli was up into sixth place.
#huge
2 months ago
Formula 1 heads to the iconic Monza circuit this weekend for the Italian Grand Prix and round 13 of the 2026 season.
Kimi Antonelli, who is expected to take a grid penalty at his home race, leads the world championship standings by 59 points to Mercedes teammate George Russell and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, with the Italian having finished second at the last race in Zandvoort.
At the Dutch GP, reigning F1 world champion Lando Norris won his second straight grand prix with a composed drive at Zandvoort, after recording a sublime pole position. Norris is now fourth in the drivers' standings, 83 points behind Antonelli.
Ferrari will be hoping to land a victory at their traditional home race, with Charles Leclerc a two-time winner in Monza and Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who crashed out on the first lap last time out, will be looking to bounce back.
Here are the standings after the Italian GP:
#race #standings #monza
Kimi Antonelli, who is expected to take a grid penalty at his home race, leads the world championship standings by 59 points to Mercedes teammate George Russell and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, with the Italian having finished second at the last race in Zandvoort.
At the Dutch GP, reigning F1 world champion Lando Norris won his second straight grand prix with a composed drive at Zandvoort, after recording a sublime pole position. Norris is now fourth in the drivers' standings, 83 points behind Antonelli.
Ferrari will be hoping to land a victory at their traditional home race, with Charles Leclerc a two-time winner in Monza and Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who crashed out on the first lap last time out, will be looking to bounce back.
Here are the standings after the Italian GP:
#race #standings #monza
2 months ago
George Russell passes Pierre Gasly for lead of Italian Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton drops back after battling with Charles Leclerc
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli started 19th because of his own penalty
Antonelli 'disrupting rules of fandom' in Ferrari's Italy
Select audio icon for Radio 5 Sports Extra 2 commentary (UK only)
#george #lewis #hamilton
Lewis Hamilton drops back after battling with Charles Leclerc
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli started 19th because of his own penalty
Antonelli 'disrupting rules of fandom' in Ferrari's Italy
Select audio icon for Radio 5 Sports Extra 2 commentary (UK only)
#george #lewis #hamilton
2 months ago
Going into the Italian Grand Prix, of all the storylines and narratives being composed, absolutely none of them involved Pierre Gasly and Alpine.
That's not dismissive of the French driver or the Enstone team, but Ferrari competing on home soil with a decent chance of victory and an Italian in Kimi Antonelli leading the championship was always going to take every column inch available this weekend.
So, when the FIA Court of Appeal report dropped at the start of first practice at Monza to inform the world that Gasly had lost his Monaco GP podium, a new and unexpected theme emerged. And then it snowballed.
First there was Flavio Briatore's questioning of the integrity of one of the judges, Filippo Marchino, about connections to McLaren – one of the lead proponents in the appeal – which McLaren team principal Andrea Stella vehemently took offence to, then there was the FIA Court of Appeal statement to dismiss comments of impartiality.
Read Also:
#court
That's not dismissive of the French driver or the Enstone team, but Ferrari competing on home soil with a decent chance of victory and an Italian in Kimi Antonelli leading the championship was always going to take every column inch available this weekend.
So, when the FIA Court of Appeal report dropped at the start of first practice at Monza to inform the world that Gasly had lost his Monaco GP podium, a new and unexpected theme emerged. And then it snowballed.
First there was Flavio Briatore's questioning of the integrity of one of the judges, Filippo Marchino, about connections to McLaren – one of the lead proponents in the appeal – which McLaren team principal Andrea Stella vehemently took offence to, then there was the FIA Court of Appeal statement to dismiss comments of impartiality.
Read Also:
#court
2 months ago
Round 13 of the 2026 Formula 1 season heads to Monza, the home of Ferrari, for the Italian Grand Prix, from 4-6 September.
McLaren's Lando Norris took his second win in a row in the first race back from the summer break in a chaotic farewell to the Dutch Grand Prix.
Norris has since signed a new contract with McLaren that will keep him with the team until the end of the 2030 season.
He was joined on the podium by Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, who extended his lead in the drivers' championship to 59 points over team-mate George Russell, who finished third, and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton.
Mercedes say Antonelli will have a grid penalty at Monza because of fitting a new engine. Doing so will mean he has exceeded the permitted number of engine parts over the season.
#norris #antonelli #engine
McLaren's Lando Norris took his second win in a row in the first race back from the summer break in a chaotic farewell to the Dutch Grand Prix.
Norris has since signed a new contract with McLaren that will keep him with the team until the end of the 2030 season.
He was joined on the podium by Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, who extended his lead in the drivers' championship to 59 points over team-mate George Russell, who finished third, and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton.
Mercedes say Antonelli will have a grid penalty at Monza because of fitting a new engine. Doing so will mean he has exceeded the permitted number of engine parts over the season.
#norris #antonelli #engine
2 months ago
Alpine's Pierre Gasly has lost his podium at the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix after McLaren won their appeal against the result, motorsports ruling body FIA said in a statement on Friday.
Gasly was demoted from third to seventh after the race on June 7 due to two separate five-second time penalties for speeding in the pit lane.
However, his position was restored after Alpine requested a right of review.
McLaren the appealed against that decision and the FIA's International Court of Appeal reinstated Gasly's penalty.
That means the driver dropped back to seventh place and Red Bull's Isack Hadjar returned to third place. McLaren's Oscar Piastri has moved up to fourth. Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes won the race.
#Third
Gasly was demoted from third to seventh after the race on June 7 due to two separate five-second time penalties for speeding in the pit lane.
However, his position was restored after Alpine requested a right of review.
McLaren the appealed against that decision and the FIA's International Court of Appeal reinstated Gasly's penalty.
That means the driver dropped back to seventh place and Red Bull's Isack Hadjar returned to third place. McLaren's Oscar Piastri has moved up to fourth. Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes won the race.
#Third
2 months ago
Alpine's Pierre Gasly has lost his podium at the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix after McLaren won their appeal against the result, motorsports ruling body FIA said in a statement on Friday.
Gasly was demoted from third to seventh after the race on June 7 due to two separate five-second time penalties for speeding in the pit lane.
However, his position was restored after Alpine requested a right of review.
McLaren the appealed against that decision and the FIA's International Court of Appeal reinstated Gasly's penalty.
That means the driver dropped back to seventh place and Red Bull's Isack Hadjar returned to third place. McLaren's Oscar Piastri has moved up to fourth. Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes won the race.
#appeal #place #pierre
Gasly was demoted from third to seventh after the race on June 7 due to two separate five-second time penalties for speeding in the pit lane.
However, his position was restored after Alpine requested a right of review.
McLaren the appealed against that decision and the FIA's International Court of Appeal reinstated Gasly's penalty.
That means the driver dropped back to seventh place and Red Bull's Isack Hadjar returned to third place. McLaren's Oscar Piastri has moved up to fourth. Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes won the race.
#appeal #place #pierre
2 months ago
MILAN (AP) — No longer a teenager, Kimi Antonelli is keen to show just how much he has progressed as he prepares for his home grand prix, even though he has to start at the back of the grid.
It was two years ago at Monza that Antonelli was given his Formula 1 debut but that lasted just 10 minutes as the youngster was involved in a high-speed crash in the first practice session for the Italian Grand Prix.
Now Antonelli, who turned 20 last week, arrives as championship leader.
"That definitely was not the way I wanted to introduce myself into the sport," Antonelli said. "If someone, while I was walking off in the gravel, would have said, 'in two years you're going to be leading the world championship in this exact moment,' I would have said 'shut up … don't joke with me.'
"But, you know, it's happening. And, you know, I'm very, very, very happy, very grateful. And just got to keep pushing."
#know
It was two years ago at Monza that Antonelli was given his Formula 1 debut but that lasted just 10 minutes as the youngster was involved in a high-speed crash in the first practice session for the Italian Grand Prix.
Now Antonelli, who turned 20 last week, arrives as championship leader.
"That definitely was not the way I wanted to introduce myself into the sport," Antonelli said. "If someone, while I was walking off in the gravel, would have said, 'in two years you're going to be leading the world championship in this exact moment,' I would have said 'shut up … don't joke with me.'
"But, you know, it's happening. And, you know, I'm very, very, very happy, very grateful. And just got to keep pushing."
#know
2 months ago
A crash, a penalty… what next? For a man who's just turned 20, Italian hotshot Kimi Antonelli has already endured a tumultuous relationship with his home grand prix: the electrifying, old-school Monza circuit, long christened Formula 1's Temple of Speed.
Two years ago, on the same weekend that Toto Wolff announced that then-F2 driver Antonelli would have the small shoes of Lewis Hamilton to fill in 2025, Antonelli took part in his first F1 session. On his second flying lap, full-send around the final high-speed Parabolica corner, the teen dumped his car violently into the wall. Then, in 2025, Antonelli crashed again in practice before receiving a penalty for track limits and running Alex Albon off the circuit.
Coming in the midst of a helter-skelter rookie year, Wolff acknowledged that Antonelli's ninth-place performance had been "underwhelming," urging his protege to "just free up." Fast-forward 12 months, Antonelli is potentially 11 races away from becoming F1's youngest-ever world champion. And on Thursday, he acknowledged he feels "very free mentally."
Yet Antonelli's chances of becoming the first home driver to win the Italian Grand Prix since Ferrari's Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966 are slim, bordering on zero. The championship leader, 59 points clear at the top, will take a 20-place grid penalty this weekend as he exceeds his engine allocation for the season. Mercedes's thinking is that, with Monza's mammoth long straight, overtaking from the back of the grid will be easier come raceday. Still, it feels a shame to lose the budding romance of a potential first Italian winner in 60 years.
"In some ways, it makes me a bit more relaxed going into the weekend," Antonelli said in the FIA press conference. "That's why I'm going to be able to enjoy more the driving and the weekend itself. Also, it's a different opportunity.
#wolff #grand #home
Two years ago, on the same weekend that Toto Wolff announced that then-F2 driver Antonelli would have the small shoes of Lewis Hamilton to fill in 2025, Antonelli took part in his first F1 session. On his second flying lap, full-send around the final high-speed Parabolica corner, the teen dumped his car violently into the wall. Then, in 2025, Antonelli crashed again in practice before receiving a penalty for track limits and running Alex Albon off the circuit.
Coming in the midst of a helter-skelter rookie year, Wolff acknowledged that Antonelli's ninth-place performance had been "underwhelming," urging his protege to "just free up." Fast-forward 12 months, Antonelli is potentially 11 races away from becoming F1's youngest-ever world champion. And on Thursday, he acknowledged he feels "very free mentally."
Yet Antonelli's chances of becoming the first home driver to win the Italian Grand Prix since Ferrari's Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966 are slim, bordering on zero. The championship leader, 59 points clear at the top, will take a 20-place grid penalty this weekend as he exceeds his engine allocation for the season. Mercedes's thinking is that, with Monza's mammoth long straight, overtaking from the back of the grid will be easier come raceday. Still, it feels a shame to lose the budding romance of a potential first Italian winner in 60 years.
"In some ways, it makes me a bit more relaxed going into the weekend," Antonelli said in the FIA press conference. "That's why I'm going to be able to enjoy more the driving and the weekend itself. Also, it's a different opportunity.
#wolff #grand #home
2 months ago
Andrea Kimi Antonelli happy at Mercedes and he knows it is divided fan group with him leading and Ferrari doing well for Italian fans coming to the F1 Italian GP, as Lewis Hamilton chimes in.
When Antonelli arrived at the scene, it was not clear to everyone how well he could do, even though there was hype about him certainly. After how F1 2025 went, some enthusiasm dipped but midway into 2026, it is going through the roof for the Italian, especially in Italy.
When he went to pick up the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy earlier this year, there was massive stream of fans waiting for him. Even at race tracks, there is considerable growth in the numbers. In general as well, Italian fans are quite emotional about their sports persons and also teams.
Ferrari is at par with football if not larger, in certain sphere. For a top Italian driver to race for an Italian manufacturer is icing on the cake. The last to drive in F1 was Giancarlo Fisichella in 2009. It's been 17 years since and it will be longer than that as Antonelli is happy to be at Mercedes.
The Italian was taken up by the German team at a very young age and rose through the ranks, with Toto Wolff's backing. He is their prodigy, much like how Max Verstappen is for Red Bull and Charles Leclerc is in some ways for Ferrari. And for the near future, Antonelli doesn't see himself anywhere else.
#antonelli #Ferrari #even #race
When Antonelli arrived at the scene, it was not clear to everyone how well he could do, even though there was hype about him certainly. After how F1 2025 went, some enthusiasm dipped but midway into 2026, it is going through the roof for the Italian, especially in Italy.
When he went to pick up the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy earlier this year, there was massive stream of fans waiting for him. Even at race tracks, there is considerable growth in the numbers. In general as well, Italian fans are quite emotional about their sports persons and also teams.
Ferrari is at par with football if not larger, in certain sphere. For a top Italian driver to race for an Italian manufacturer is icing on the cake. The last to drive in F1 was Giancarlo Fisichella in 2009. It's been 17 years since and it will be longer than that as Antonelli is happy to be at Mercedes.
The Italian was taken up by the German team at a very young age and rose through the ranks, with Toto Wolff's backing. He is their prodigy, much like how Max Verstappen is for Red Bull and Charles Leclerc is in some ways for Ferrari. And for the near future, Antonelli doesn't see himself anywhere else.
#antonelli #Ferrari #even #race
2 months ago
McLaren spent the first half of 2026 looking like last year's champion team in name only. The wins dried up, the new car took time to come alive and even as Lando Norris kept putting points on the board, the gap to Kimi Antonelli kept growing. Then Hungary happened, Zandvoort followed, and two weeks was all it took to change the mood of the season.
Norris has now won the last two grands prix and sits fourth in the standings at 159 points, 83 behind Antonelli and 24 behind Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, who are tied at 183. That is still a mountain for Norris and McLaren to climb, but it is no longer out of the question.
Also Read:Ferrari Must Win at Monza or Watch Its ****** le Shot Slip Away
May 23, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CANADA; McLaren driver Lando Norris (1) during the qualifying session of the Lenovo Grand Prix Du Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
McLaren is third in the constructors' championship with 263 points, 75 behind Ferrari and 162 behind Mercedes. Another strong weekend at Monza would not crown anyone, but it would force the two teams ahead to treat McLaren as a Sunday problem rather than a midfield inconvenience.
#Ferrari
Norris has now won the last two grands prix and sits fourth in the standings at 159 points, 83 behind Antonelli and 24 behind Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, who are tied at 183. That is still a mountain for Norris and McLaren to climb, but it is no longer out of the question.
Also Read:Ferrari Must Win at Monza or Watch Its ****** le Shot Slip Away
May 23, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CANADA; McLaren driver Lando Norris (1) during the qualifying session of the Lenovo Grand Prix Du Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
McLaren is third in the constructors' championship with 263 points, 75 behind Ferrari and 162 behind Mercedes. Another strong weekend at Monza would not crown anyone, but it would force the two teams ahead to treat McLaren as a Sunday problem rather than a midfield inconvenience.
#Ferrari
2 months ago
Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli will try to tighten his grip on the drivers' championship on home ground at this weekend's Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
However, the 20-year-old can expect to face a challenge from a resurgent McLaren and in particular Lando Norris, who has won the past two grands prix.
And Monza is of course also home territory for Ferrari, although the long straights of the historic circuit may not suit the characteristics of their car.
BBC Sport F1 correspondent Andrew Benson answers your latest questions before round 13 of the 2026 season.
What does Lando Norris' new contract extension mean for Oscar Piastri? There clearly is some tension behind the scenes and this season his development performance-wise has clearly dipped. - Juha
#monza
However, the 20-year-old can expect to face a challenge from a resurgent McLaren and in particular Lando Norris, who has won the past two grands prix.
And Monza is of course also home territory for Ferrari, although the long straights of the historic circuit may not suit the characteristics of their car.
BBC Sport F1 correspondent Andrew Benson answers your latest questions before round 13 of the 2026 season.
What does Lando Norris' new contract extension mean for Oscar Piastri? There clearly is some tension behind the scenes and this season his development performance-wise has clearly dipped. - Juha
#monza
