Who slept best last night: Marco Antonelli

Dear readers,

Adjectives are overrated. Facts and figures usually say more: A win from 19th on the grid. The first win by an Italian in Monza since 1966. At the age of just 20. In his second Formula 1 season.

Read more Home victory before a record crowd: Antonelli thrills Italian fans in Monza

You could call it sensational. Fantastic. Impressive. Magical. Extraordinary. Remarkable. Unbelievable. Historic. But those are just words.

The mere fact that Kimi Antonelli won the 2026 Italian Grand Prix in Monza after overtaking almost the entire field basically says it all. (Read the race report here!)

2024 the accident, 2026 the home win

And that only two years after his very first training session on the same track. That training session ended for him just ten minutes after it started in the track limits.

This accident contributed significantly to many believing that Mercedes had either overestimated Antonelli’s potential or promoted him to Formula 1 too early. Toto Wolff’s memories of losing Max Verstappen to Red Bull in 2014 were said to have clouded his judgment. Many believed Antonelli did not come close to Verstappen’s potential. He was simply overrated.

Into Formula 1 at 18

Mercedes and Wolff were never deterred by this. At 18, Antonelli entered Formula 1 – after just one, and to be fair, rather average Formula 2 season. And then he went straight to the seat previously occupied by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Just two months after his Formula 1 debut, Mercedes even released a documentary about him – of course in collaboration with a sponsor. “The Seat”. Seen it? The film is actually quite decent if you can put up with all the advertising content.

Antonelli’s Monza accident is also part of the film and takes up a considerable portion of the 40-minute documentary. “That day I disappointed my whole family, my father,” Kimi says on camera. “He was not happy.”

What father Marco wishes for son Kimi

Wolff is undoubtedly someone who has played a decisive role in Antonelli’s career. The same goes for Gwen Lagrue, the outgoing head of the Mercedes junior program. But the foundation was laid by Kimi’s father Marco.

He rarely speaks to the media, which is why the details of his son’s early career are not nearly as well known as, for example, Verstappen’s. Yes, Marco was also a racing driver – but not a Formula 1 driver.

One of these rare occasions arose just a few days ago when the Italian La Gazzetta dello Sport published an interview with Antonelli senior after Kimi’s 20th birthday.

“I also hope he stays as he is: kind and generous. And that he can do what he loves for as long as possible,” Marco told Italy’s largest sports newspaper.

How tough Antonelli’s path to Formula 1 was

Kimi really seems to be a kind and generous guy, which probably makes it all the more difficult for someone like George Russell. You can’t even hate the boy, no matter how often he beats you – off the track he is so likable, and in the car he drives like the devil!

Read more Espargaro warns of MotoGP upheaval: «With Pirelli everything changes»

But even though Antonelli now makes everything look like a game, the path there must have been tough – for the son as well as for the father. And perhaps also for their relationship. Marco may never have left his son alone at a gas station after a disappointing kart race, but fathers of successful athletes are usually demanding characters.

In the documentary, there is a scene where father and son sit together in a car. It is winter, shortly before Kimi’s first Formula 1 season, Marco is at the wheel. His son says that as a child he did not understand why his father was so strict with him. (Photo series: The career of Kimi Antonelli)

Photo series: “Wonderkid” and record breaker: The career of Kimi Antonelli

“We never talked about it, but this moment is an opportunity to explain,” Marco Antonelli replies. “I often think about all the times I yelled at you, all the times I was angry with you.”

“You said: ‘My father is an asshole. Why does he do that?’ – because unfortunately I didn’t make it forward in my own career. I couldn’t take advantage of the opportunities I had. That’s why we argued, because I probably demanded more from you than you could deliver at that moment.”

At least that gives an idea of what this shared path might have looked like.

In a later rare interview, Marco admitted that as a father he probably did not believe in Kimi’s potential as much as Wolff did. He also admitted that his son exceeded his own expectations.

Antonelli is championship favorite – even more so after Monza!

The last real challenge for Antonelli now seems to be to keep both feet on the ground. Because there are now plenty of reasons to take off. A win in Monza from the last starting row will bring him praise from all directions. And Italy will certainly not hold back from showering him with affection.

After this race, many will surely already declare him world champion given his lead over Russell in the championship. And very soon Antonelli will probably think about actually becoming world champion – if he isn’t already doing so. For now, he tries to keep such thoughts away – at least when talking to the press.

“It has definitely been a very strong year so far, but there are still many races to come and anything can still happen,” he said on Sunday after his historic, sensational, and remarkable victory.

“We have seen how quickly things can change. That’s why for me, as I have often said: think race by race, focus on the things I can control, and make the best use of every opportunity that comes my way.”

His father will probably like this answer. And he will certainly do his best to make sure Kimi does not get carried away by everything that is now coming his way. But that can be thought about later.

Read more Formula 1 Live Ticker: Monza a «Disgrace» for Ferrari

For now, the moment has come to simply be proud.

Your
Oleg Karpow