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Kimi Antonelli produced a sensational comeback drive at the Italian Grand Prix, charging from 19th on the grid to win his home race at Monza and become the first Italian in six decades to triumph at the iconic circuit.
The Mercedes youngster completed a remarkable recovery on Sunday, overtaking teammate George Russell with just three laps remaining before crossing the finish line 3.8 seconds ahead of him. Antonelli's victory ended a 60-year wait for an Italian winner at Monza. He became the first home driver to win the Italian Grand Prix since Ludovico Scarfiotti achieved the feat for Ferrari in 1966. The 19th-place start came after the 20-year-old was pushed down the grid by a penalty, but the home favourite capitalised on a favourable strategy, a powerful new engine and some outstanding overtaking to fight his way through the field. The victory also strengthened Antonelli's position at the top of the championship. He extended his lead over Russell from 59 to 66 points, taking his tally to 267 points, while Russell remained second on 201. Antonelli's comeback was briefly put in jeopardy when he ran through the gravel at the Variante del Rettifilo on Lap 49 of the 53-lap race while attempting to take the lead from Russell. The Italian recovered quickly, however, and completed the job with a decisive pass three laps from the chequered flag. Max Verstappen finished third, while Lando Norris was fourth. Oscar Piastri took fifth, followed by Lewis Hamilton in sixth. Pierre Gasly finished seventh, with Arvid Lindblad eighth, Franco Colapinto ninth and Yuki Tsunoda completing the top 10. It was a disappointing afternoon for Ferrari at its home race. Charles Leclerc crashed out on the second lap after losing control at high speed, while Hamilton could only manage sixth. Italy's Prime Minister Georgia Meloni congratulated Antonelli on his historic achievement in a post on X. "Sixty years later, an Italian returns to winning the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Congratulations to Kimi Antonelli, extraordinary young talent who signs a historic result," she wrote on X. With his victory in front of the home crowd, Antonelli not only extended his championship advantage but also etched his name into Monza's history, ending one of Italian motorsport's longest waits for a home winner. (ANI)
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