Kimi Antonelli achieved a memorable victory at the Italian Grand Prix of Formula 1, in Monza, after starting in 19th position. The result also secured a one-two finish for Mercedes, with George Russell completing the race in second.
Read more F1: Verstappen mocks Red Bull engine after podium in Monza
The Italian highlighted the importance of the triumph in front of his fans, and stated that he believed in the possibility of winning even starting from the back of the grid: “This is a day I will remember forever! It is definitely the most special victory of my career so far,” Antonelli said.
He recovered several positions already at the first start and gained a new opportunity after the red flag. Even losing some positions during the Virtual Safety Car, Antonelli explained that the pace of the medium tires allowed him to recover ground until reaching victory: “I felt I had the speed to fight for the win,” he said.
Russell finished second and admitted frustration at having come so close to victory, but highlighted the result achieved by the team. According to the Briton, the Virtual Safety Car was decisive, and Mercedes chose to split strategies between the two cars: “The team chose to split the strategy between the two cars and that was the best decision we could have made,” he added.
Toto Wolff, head of Mercedes, described the race as ‘phenomenal’ and highlighted the performance of the two drivers, who, according to him, were ‘comfortably faster than the rest of the grid’. The executive also explained that the team did not expect Antonelli’s first set of medium tires to last until the end, while Russell followed a conventional strategy and faced vibrations in the front tires in the final laps, which slightly limited his pace.
Read more F1: Tsunoda celebrates return to points in Italy
