Happiness can be summed up in just a few words, spoken over the radio after crossing the finish line: “We did it.” Andrea Kimi Antonelli celebrated his triumph at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix. For the young Mercedes driver, this was his first Formula 1 victory. At just 19 years old, the Bologna-born driver now joins the exclusive list of Italian F1 winners—a prestigious group that includes world champions such as Alberto Ascari and Giuseppe Farina. But who has claimed the most wins, and what are Antonelli’s next targets? Let’s take a look at all the Italian drivers who have triumphed in Formula 1.
Alberto Ascari
The most successful Italian driver in Formula 1 history remains Alberto Ascari, with 13 wins between 1950 and 1955. His victories spanned three seasons, starting with the German and Italian Grands Prix in 1951, finishing second in the championship. The legendary 1952 season behind the wheel of a Ferrari saw Ascari claim six wins out of seven races, securing the World Championship. He repeated the feat the following year with five victories, once again driving the iconic red Ferrari to claim his second title.
Riccardo Patrese
Riccardo Patrese achieved six victories over a 17-season Formula 1 career. Remarkably, his first win came in his sixth year at the 1982 Monaco Grand Prix, a chaotic race decided in the final meters. Patrese overcame a mistake and capitalized on the misfortunes of Didier Pironi, Andrea De Cesaris, and Derek Daly to claim an incredible win. He then won the 1983 South African Grand Prix with Brabham and added four more victories with Williams, including triumphs at Imola in 1990, Mexico and Portugal in 1991, and Japan in 1992, finishing second in the championship that year.
Giuseppe Farina
Giuseppe “Nino” Farina secured five Grand Prix victories during his F1 career. His landmark season was 1950, driving the Alfa Romeo, when he scored three wins and clinched the inaugural Formula 1 World Championship. Farina also won the 1951 Belgian Grand Prix before moving to Ferrari, where he claimed his final victory in Germany in 1953.
Michele Alboreto
Michele Alboreto saw the Italian national anthem played five times in Formula 1. His first victory came at the 1982 Las Vegas Grand Prix, capitalizing on Alain Prost’s Renault experiencing issues. Alboreto repeated the feat in Detroit in 1983 before joining Ferrari, where he secured three more wins starting with the 1984 Belgian Grand Prix. In 1985, he nearly claimed the championship thanks to wins in Canada and Germany, but retirements late in the season thwarted his title ambitions.
Giancarlo Fisichella
The last Italian F1 winner before Andrea Kimi Antonelli was Giancarlo Fisichella, who claimed three victories. His memorable 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix win with Jordan came after a lap recount, putting him ahead following an incident involving Fernando Alonso. Fisichella also triumphed twice more with Renault, winning the 2005 Australian Grand Prix, briefly leading the championship, and adding a final victory in Malaysia the following year.
Elio De Angelis
Elio De Angelis recorded two wins in Formula 1. It took him four seasons to claim his first, the 1982 Austrian Grand Prix, perfectly managing his Lotus to beat Keke Rosberg’s Williams in a photo finish. His second victory came at Imola in 1985 after initially finishing second but being promoted following Alain Prost’s disqualification for technical irregularities. Tragically, De Angelis died the following year during testing at Paul Ricard.
Other Italian winners in F1 history
Antonelli’s win in China brings the total number of Italian Grand Prix winners to nine. Luigi Fagioli claimed victory at the 1951 French Grand Prix, sharing his Alfa Romeo with Juan Manuel Fangio, becoming the oldest F1 winner at 53 years and 22 days. Piero Taruffi won the 1952 Swiss Grand Prix with Ferrari. Luigi Musso triumphed in 1956 in Argentina, also with Fangio. Giancarlo Baghetti made history by winning the 1961 French Grand Prix on his debut, while Lorenzo Bandini and Ludovico Scarfiotti won in Austria (1964) and Italy (1966), respectively. Vittorio Brambilla celebrated a win in Austria in 1975, Alessandro Nannini in Japan in 1989, and Jarno Trulli produced a masterclass on the streets of Monaco in 2004 with Renault.
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