Kimi Antonelli living ‘a dream’ after astonishing home Italian GP win

MONZA – Kimi Antonelli had every reason to pinch himself on Sept 6 after his spectacular triumph for Mercedes from 19th on the grid gave the Monza fans a first home winner of the Italian Grand Prix in 60 years.

As he battled his emotions, Antonelli, who only turned 20 two weeks ago, admitted on team radio that “it feels like a dream”.

His win was delivered from the most distant starting position since John Watson raced to victory for McLaren at the 1983 United States Grand Prix West in Long Beach from 22nd on the grid.

More pointedly, victory over teammate George Russell opens up a 66-point lead in the title race.

“It’s a dream come true,” he said. “What an incredible day. I couldn’t do this without my team, my family and everyone who supports me.”

He resisted the temptation, however, to talk about becoming the first Italian world champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953.

“There’s still a few races to go, so we will try to keep our heads down. But now, yes, we are going to enjoy today.

“I did not expect this. Unbelievable. Unbelievable. I am so happy. I could not have imagined to be here today, but we managed to pull it off and I am really, really happy.”

Antonelli did have one scare in the race, four laps from the end when he was trying to overtake Russell and found himself in the gravel.

“It was quite scary because the tarmac was breaking up, but I still thought I could do the corner.

“I went straight. I was thinking like maybe I lost my chance, but luckily, we had the pace and I could bring it home.”

Starting the race on Sept 6 from the back of the grid due to penalties after taking a new power unit, he said he had felt capable of winning after going from 19th to 12th in the opening laps.

Then Charles Leclerc crashed his Ferrari to bring a red-flag stoppage and a restart.

“After the second restart, I was up there and I knew I could have had a shot for the win. So definitely I believed in it, especially when I was behind George,” he said.

“But it was difficult to break away with it all being so strong. At the end we pitted, he stayed out and he struggled with his tyres at the end, so with fresher tyres we could increase the pace and get the win.”

Russell ‘disappointed’

His Mercedes teammate Russell was left to rue the moment that his teammate pitted while he remained out on track.

“In hindsight, it’s easy to say I should have pitted rather than stayed out,” he said.

“I felt like I was holding my own at that point, but I think that’s partly why the team wanted us to split strategies.

“I’m disappointed with missing out on the win, but here we are.”

Triumphant team boss Toto Wolff had nothing but praise for Antonelli, the first home winner at Monza since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966.

“It was unbelievable,” he said. “He was so controlled all race. He kept his head down, took no risks at the start and then one by one he passed them. An amazing drive.”

Russell added that he was not considering or worrying about the title race.

“We are where we are,” he said. “He (Antonelli) has driven incredibly this season. He deserves to lead the championship and he has a healthy lead.

“I’m not even going to think about the fight or the comeback. I’m just going to every race trying to win it. I’m not putting any pressure on myself in this regard. I just need to try and win more races.

“He is in the best spot and he deserves to be where he is.”

Separately, Lewis Hamilton has called for written rules of engagement at Ferrari after the clash with Leclerc.

The Monegasque, who crashed out heavily at the end of the second lap, told reporters the pair had raced too hard on the opening lap after sharing the second row of the grid, with Hamilton forced off into the gravel and dropping from fourth to 10th.

The seven-time F1 world champion ended up sixth and is now 76 points behind leader Antonelli.

Hamilton said they are “just not executing as well as we can”, adding: “I think it comes down to rules of engagement. When I was at Mercedes, we had written rules of engagement. And we never really had it too bad.

“There was a moment maybe with me and Nico (Rosberg) a couple of times. But more often than not, it was good. Here, there are no rules. And I think that’s something that needs to probably change.”

The 41-year-old Briton also dismissed Leclerc’s explanation to reporters about the incident that “we went too far, I think”.

“I was ahead into Turn 2. By the apex, I was ahead, so there’s no ‘we’ in it,” said Hamilton, who had complained at the time that “Charles pushed me off”.

Rosberg, the 2016 champion now a pundit with Sky Sports television, backed Hamilton.

“It’s very straightforward and simple. Lewis was ahead going in, so Charles has to leave room,” said the German. “And he didn’t, so it was 100 per cent Charles’ fault, and that’s it.” AFP, REUTERS