Toto Wolff believes Andrea Kimi Antonelli came full circle at Monza by winning the 2026 Italian Grand Prix from the back of the grid, two years after crashing at Parabolica during his first Formula 1 practice appearance at the same circuit. The Mercedes team principal said the remarkable home victory showed exactly why the team placed its faith in the young Italian.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli produced a memorable recovery drive after starting near the back following his power unit penalty. A red flag triggered by Charles Leclerc’s crash gave the championship leader the opportunity to regain ground rapidly, before he eventually fought his way onto the back of team-mate George Russell.
Kimi Antonelli wins at Monza from the back of the grid
After making an additional pit stop and surviving a tense moment at the Prima Variante, Andrea Kimi Antonelli closed in on George Russell and completed the overtake that secured a dream victory at his home Grand Prix.
The result represented a remarkable turnaround from the position in which the Mercedes driver had started the weekend. His grid penalty had left him facing a difficult recovery race, although Andrea Kimi Antonelli arrived at Monza as the leader of the 2026 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship.
Toto Wolff says Antonelli has come full circle at Monza
Speaking to Sky after the race, Toto Wolff immediately drew a connection between Sunday’s victory and Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s first Formula 1 weekend appearance at Monza in 2024.
On that occasion, the then-18-year-old made his FP1 debut for Mercedes but crashed heavily at Parabolica just minutes into the session. Two years later, he returned to the same circuit as a full-time Mercedes driver and championship leader and left it as the Italian Grand Prix winner.
“He’s come full circle, he’s shown why we put him in the car,” Toto Wolff said. “Today he did a fantastic job.”
The 2024 accident had been one of the earliest high-profile moments of Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Formula 1 journey. His development since then has taken him all the way to the top of the 2026 Formula 1 championship standings, making the contrast with that difficult first Monza appearance particularly striking.
Wolff praises Antonelli’s mentality after grid setback
Toto Wolff also highlighted the mentality Andrea Kimi Antonelli showed after learning that he would have to start his home Grand Prix from the back of the field.
“He manages to concentrate while keeping the enthusiasm and passion for healthy enjoyment,” Toto Wolff added. “When he found out he would be starting from the back at Monza, he didn’t flinch.”
That composure was rewarded with one of the most significant victories of Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s career. Two years after his Formula 1 practice debut at Monza ended against the barriers at Parabolica, the Mercedes driver returned to the same circuit and completed the circle with victory in front of his home crowd.
Leave a Reply