Andrea Kimi Antonelli, driving for Mercedes, has secured five victories during the 2026 Formula 1 season. His maiden win at the Chinese Grand Prix earlier this year ended a 20-year drought for an Italian driver on the top step of the podium. This significant achievement has been widely noted within the sport.
The last Italian to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix before Antonelli was Giancarlo Fisichella. Fisichella, now 53, took victory at the 2006 Malaysian Grand Prix while competing for Renault.
Fisichella recently commented on Antonelli’s success during an appearance on the ‘Beyond The Grid’ podcast. He expressed his satisfaction with the young driver’s performances.
‘I will say ‘finally!’… I’m happy about that because 20 years is too long. You know, the last Italian winner of a Grand Prix was myself 20 years ago, and now this year, with Kimi, this is done.’
Antonelli, aged 19, is currently the only Italian driver competing in Formula 1 this season. His rapid ascent through the junior categories led to his F1 debut with Mercedes in 2025.
Following his breakthrough win in China, Antonelli continued his strong form. He subsequently claimed victories at the Japanese, Miami, Canadian, and Monaco Grands Prix.
This run of five consecutive Grand Prix wins by Antonelli in 2026 is particularly notable. It surpasses the combined total of all 24 other Italian drivers who have competed in Formula 1 since the start of the 1993 season.
Before Antonelli’s arrival, only Fisichella and Jarno Trulli had secured Grand Prix victories among Italian drivers in the modern era. Trulli’s win came at the 2004 Monaco Grand Prix.
Antonelli currently leads the 2026 Drivers’ Championship standings. His consistent performances have positioned him as a strong contender for the title.
At the recent British Grand Prix on July 5, Antonelli secured pole position and won the Sprint race. However, the main race saw him finish 15th after a front brake duct failure.
The mechanical issue on lap 41 of the 52-lap race forced Antonelli into the pits twice. He also received a five-second penalty for track limits, further impacting his result.
This outcome at Silverstone allowed his Mercedes teammate, George Russell, to reduce the points gap in the championship standings. Antonelli will aim for redemption at the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix.
The last Italian Formula 1 World Champion was Alberto Ascari, who achieved consecutive titles in 1952 and 1953. Fisichella highlighted the long wait for another Italian champion.
