Kimi Antonelli has once again shown why he is leading the World Championship this season with a sensational victory at the Italian GP. The Mercedes driver started from P19 but calmly drove to victory, achieving the second biggest comeback in F1 history. Although this triumph will remain unforgettable for the just 20-year-old Antonelli, he simultaneously emphasizes that he is not yet at the peak of his abilities.
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Antonelli made an impressive advance to the leading group in the first sixteen laps, after which he set his sights on victory following a pit stop under the Virtual Safety Car. At the last moment, he overtook teammate George Russell and delivered a spectacular win to the ecstatic Italian fans. Moreover, he further extended his lead in the World Championship standings. Russell, his closest challenger, admitted afterwards that he is putting the title fight out of his mind for now.
Antonelli himself is also not thinking about the world championship that looms in the distance. “I actually don’t want to look at it, because we’ve seen this season how quickly things can change,” he responded during the official FIA press conference. “As far as I’m concerned, I just have to take it race by race. I have to try to maximize every result and every opportunity I get, and then we’ll see what happens at the end of the year. But there’s no point in thinking about the championship. We just have to stay in the moment, here and now, and take it race by race.”
‘The best is yet to come’
That mentality was also visible in the final phase of the race, when Antonelli gave everything to pass teammate Russell. On his first attempt, he ended up in the gravel trap, but the Italian did not let that slow him down. “I was actually thinking of nothing else but winning, especially when I saw the chance,” Antonelli explained. “I pushed hard and went off track briefly, which wasn’t ideal.”
In the end, the Mercedes driver succeeded in crowning his comeback with the victory. According to Antonelli, Mercedes’ exceptional speed in Monza played an important role. “We tried to push, make smart overtaking moves, use the battery wisely, and then, yes, it worked,” he laughed. “But of course, it also helped that we were clearly the best team this weekend. That helped us come back. My best race is yet to come,” Antonelli responded when asked. “But I feel this was one of the best races I’ve driven so far and, yes, one I will remember forever.”
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