During the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on Sunday, September 6, Kimi Antonelli secured victory for Mercedes, marking his seventh win of the season. George Russell completed a Mercedes 1-2, with Max Verstappen finishing third for Red Bull.
Antonelli’s win was a notable performance, as he started from 19th position on the grid following an engine penalty. He became the first Italian driver to win his home Grand Prix since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966.
The race saw an early red flag on Lap 2 after Charles Leclerc crashed his Ferrari heavily at the Parabolica. Lewis Hamilton, Leclerc’s teammate, also experienced a difficult start, dropping to sixth position.
Verstappen, starting from fifth, climbed to third in the opening laps and briefly led the race after the restart. He later conceded positions to both Mercedes drivers, Antonelli and Russell.
The Red Bull driver reported struggles with power unit deployment on the straights, which he stated ‘cost us a lot’ in defending positions. Despite this, he secured a podium finish.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri of McLaren finished fourth and fifth respectively, following a close battle between the two teammates. Pierre Gasly, who started from pole position for Alpine, ultimately finished seventh.
In the Drivers’ Championship standings after Monza, Kimi Antonelli extended his lead, now holding 267 points. George Russell is second with 201 points, and Lewis Hamilton is third with 191 points. Max Verstappen currently sits sixth with 127 points.
Off-track, Kelly Piquet, partner of Max Verstappen, was present at the Italian Grand Prix. She posted on social media about completing her makeup routine in under a minute as a tribute to Verstappen’s fastest lap.
Piquet’s daughter, Penelope, garnered significant attention in the paddock. She arrived at the circuit with Verstappen and was later seen interacting with Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff.
Wolff provided Penelope with a scooter ride and a tour of the Mercedes garage on Saturday. This interaction highlights the established cordial relationship between Wolff and Verstappen’s family, who were also seen together during the 2026 Formula 1 summer break.
Red Bull’s second driver, Isack Hadjar, missed the Italian Grand Prix due to a wrist injury sustained during the summer break. Liam Lawson continued to deputise for Hadjar, marking his second consecutive race with Red Bull after the Dutch Grand Prix.
Lawson incurred a 35-place grid penalty at Monza due to multiple power unit component changes on his Red Bull car, resulting in a back-of-the-grid start. Yuki Tsunoda filled Lawson’s seat at Racing Bulls.
The next event on the Formula 1 calendar is the Spanish Grand Prix, which will take place from September 11 to 13 at the new Madring street circuit in Madrid. This marks the debut of the 5.416 km, 22-turn circuit and is the 14th race of the current season.
