F1 | ITALIAN GP , THE POINT BY GIAN CARLO MINARDI “FROM ASCARI TO ANTONELLI, KIMI MADE HISTORY IN MONZA”
This was a special day that confirmed once again how much Italy is a key player on the international motorsport scene.
My first round of applause goes to ACI for the wonderful organization of the Italian Grand Prix. New record attendances were set, and we saw a very well-organized event on a par with the history and prestige of Monza.
Making this weekend even more special were our young people who made the Italian National Anthem resonate and gave us major results. Thank you goes to all these young men who, with their commitment and their results, are contributing to making Italian motorsport stronger and stronger.
Congratulations to Nicola Lacorte, the frontrunner in Formula 3 with a wonderful win in Monza, and to Emanuele Olivieri who, in Imola, won Race-1 of the Regional Formula and took second place in Race-2, confirming his place at the top of the ladder.
Of course, today we saw something that will remain forever in the history of our motorsport thanks to Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s extraordinary win.
Sixty years after the last win by an Italian driver in the Italian Grand Prix, Kimi took Italy’s flag back to the top step of the podium in Monza with an extraordinary race that he built up starting from nineteenth place and finishing when he decisively overtook his teammate George Russell at the Ascari Variation three laps before the chequered flag.
This win takes in even greater significance when we consider the history of our motorsports. Antonelli came to Monza as the leader of the World Championship, something that had not happened with an Italian driver since Alberto Ascari. Winning his home race while starting from the back of the grid is a feat that speaks not only of speed, but also his maturity, determination and the ability to read the race.
What impressed me the most was Antonelli’s race pace. He was consistently fast throughout the race, progressively making up ground until he caught up to Russell. At that point we saw a thrilling confrontation between the two Mercedes drivers that Antonelli settled in the final laps. He did not just make up ground – he caught up to his teammate and beat him on the track.
He then completed an impeccable race by setting the fastest lap right on the very last lap. It was an extremely positive signal of the mastery and security that he has achieved at the wheel of the racing car, and a win that is worth a lot in terms of the World Championship.
On the eve we had highlighted how Monza could have been the circuit most suitable to serve the penalty connected to the power unit, thanks to the characteristics and the chances for overtaking. Kimi exceeded all expectations, transforming a weekend that, on paper, could have been raced on the defensive into one of the best and most significant wins of his young career.
We saw a truly thrilling race, characterized by intense battles, overtaking and lots of excitement. I believe that it was one of the best weekends experienced in Monza in recent years: Mercedes, as was predictable on a track with these characteristics, took a splendid one-two finish, ahead of Max Verstappen who never gives up and took an excellent third place.
Once again, unfortunately, I believe that on the Ferrari front, they should talk less and act more. The result was certainly below expectations, with Charles Leclerc retiring in the early laps and Lewis finishing Hamilton only sixth.
I find it hard to understand what happened in the first lap between the two Ferraris, including the subsequent mistake by Leclerc. Starting from third and fourth places, I believe that the priority should have been to keep the positions and think in terms of the team. Instead, they threw away points which could have been very important in the fight for second place on the World Constructors’ Championship.
It was a weekend that fell below expectations also for McLaren. They knew they had to come to Monza in a more defensive position compared to the recent races, but they probably hoped to harvest something more than Norris’ fourth place and fifth place for Piastri. The unique characteristics of the Monza circuit may have played a role, but after the great progress seen in recent races, it will be interesting to see, as early as the next race, whether what happened in Monza was only an isolated episode connected to the track, or whether Mercedes managed to set up an important gap once again.
Instead, it was a positive weekend for Alpine that started with a pole position that was certainly hard to predict on the eve. The race then largely restored the values on the field, but it remains an important result in the battle for fifth place in the battle with Racing Bulls in the Constructors Championship. For its part, Racing Bulls managed to get both cars into the top 10, earning precious points.
And once again, the Italian public showed that it is a sporting audience and not fanatical. Seeing all the fans on their feet for the last lap, ready to cheer Kimi Antonelli for a win that seemed almost impossible the day before was one of the most wonderful sights of the day.
Monza applauded an Italian driver who won the Italian Grand Prix. This was an image that had been missing for sixty years, and one I believe that all of us will remember for a long time.
Before closing, I would also like to also share some news that is particularly important for us. From today, the new Minardi App, which was designed to bring our world together in one place, is available for Apple and Android. All my articles, including “IL PUNTO/THE POINT” dedicated to the Formula Grands Prix, the history of the Minardi Team with the racing cars and the drivers which were part of that history and an ample section dedicated to the Historic Minardi Day.
Ahead of the 10th edition of the Historic Minardi Day, scheduled for Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September 2026, with the App it will be possible to look up the event’s programme, find out ab out the cars taking part, see photos and videos and, during the weekend, follow the webcams installed at the circuit and the “Shorts” with trivia, news and last-minute updates. It is a new way to always stay in touch with the world of Minardi and to experience our passion for motorsport together.
Download the new Minardi App:
Apple App Store | Google Play Store
Gian Carlo Minardi
