Similar to six years in the past – when Pierre Gasly took victory for AlphaTauri – 6 September has proved to be a particular date on the Autodromo Nazionale in Monza.
In 2026, residence hero Kimi Antonelli despatched the Italian crowd into raptures, after there had been tears among the many tifosi earlier on Sunday afternoon following Charles Leclerc’s heavy crash within the Parabolica.
Antonelli, nevertheless, went on to supply a exceptional comeback. After his energy unit change and a begin from nineteenth on the grid, no person anticipated him to win – which was truly a part of the pondering behind the PU change, to take all of the strain off – however Antonelli nonetheless managed to do the unattainable.
The championship chief had already labored his means as much as P12 by the point the crimson flag got here out and, after the restart, continued to slice by way of the sector like a scorching knife by way of butter, on his solution to what Antonelli calls his finest Formulation 1 victory to date.
Fernando Alonso was thought of extremely optimistic along with his prediction that Antonelli would end on the rostrum, however Wolff knew – regardless that he didn’t wish to say it out loud earlier than the race – that the younger Italian was able to one thing particular in entrance of his residence crowd.
“I assumed one among our two drivers was going to win. Both George, as a result of he was on pole [Russell started second behind Gasly in the race], or Kimi, as a result of he will stroll on water right here in Monza. And I felt that yesterday additionally.”
Wolff stated that, similar to Antonelli’s father, he might already sense that one thing particular was within the air on Sunday at Monza
Picture by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
Requested why he already sensed after qualifying that Antonelli would carry out a miracle, Wolff continued:
“It has been some time that I’ve seen driver’s power ranges, perspective, mindset, or behavioural patterns, and I knew that that was his mission at present, to win the race.
“I chatted along with his father yesterday and the daddy additionally noticed that coming.
“These are these moments the place you possibly can see how a weekend is panning out by way of the periods, feeling {that a} particular second might come. Nevertheless it’s nonetheless a mechanical sport, so it will possibly change shortly.”
From heavy Parabolica crash to ‘the second of greatest glory’
Just one driver has ever gained a race from additional again on the grid: John Watson at Lengthy Seashore in 1983.
It means everybody current at Monza witnessed one thing particular, though Wolff laughs when requested the place this victory ranks among the many most particular wins he has skilled in F1.
“This sounds very unromantic now, however I neglect about wins,” he stated. “There’s just a few that I bear in mind. Possibly my first one, but it surely is not as glamorous as you want to. It is Pastor Maldonado in Barcelona. Or Nico Rosberg with Mercedes-Benz, the primary one in Monaco. And Lewis Hamilton profitable in Singapore.
“So there’s just a few of those huge ones. And definitely that is one which I’ll bear in mind.”
Moreover the spectacular cost by way of the sector, Wolff considers the victory particular for one more motive: two years in the past, Antonelli suffered a heavy crash on the identical circuit when Mercedes handed him his F1 observe debut at Monza.
Based on Wolff, it exhibits simply how a lot Antonelli has developed in a brief time period.
“It is how the circle closed,” he stated. “Two years in the past in FP1, it was in all probability the hardest second in his profession for himself and his household. A second the place everybody doubted, together with himself.
“After which two years later, it is the largest glory, the largest second of his profession that is in all probability going to be one among his greatest moments general sooner or later.
“Even when he wins one other 200 grand prix, that one will all the time stay particular. And I feel that is the attitude underneath which I wish to see it.”
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– The Motorsport.com Staff