Is Kimi Antonelli's Monza Comeback Win an F1 Record?
Kimi Antonelli took a stunning home victory at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix, starting from P19 on the grid after taking a strategic penalty for exceeding engine parts allocation in his Mercedes W17.
The Italian, who is now an even larger home hero, took the necessary risks to beat his teammate, George Russell, with a late overtake after making use of his fresher Medium tyres after a stint that forced him to carve his way through the field once more.
Now, is Antonelli's stunning comeback drive a Formula 1 record for the farthest back a driver has won from on the grid? It is not.
The record for the farthest win in F1 history belongs to John Watson, who won the 1983 USA West Grand Prix from 22nd on the grid, driving a McLaren MP4/1C in Long Beach.
It was Watson's fifth and final F1 win. The result was even crazier for McLaren, as the team achieved a 1-2 with Niki Lauda finishing second after starting from 23rd place. Both drivers had struggled with their Qualifying tyres.
Antonelli's drive from P19 to P1 is tied for second place on this list, with Bill Vukovich winning the 1954 Indianapolis 500 (it was one of 11 editions of the Indy 500 that were part of the F1 World Championship, but F1 teams and drivers rarely travelled to compete).
For Monza and the Italian Grand Prix, however, Antonelli's win is the lowest starting position any driver has won from, breaking Peter Gethin's record from 1971, when he won from 11th place on the grid.
He's also the first Italian to win his home Grand Prix since Ludovico Scarfiotti won for Ferrari in 1966.
In terms of overall races in Italy, Antonelli is the first to win on home soil since Riccardo Patrese won the 1990 San Marino Grand Prix in Imola.
The Mercedes driver's victory is the farthest anyone has won an F1 race since Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello won the 2000 German Grand Prix from 18th on the grid.
Antonelli now leads the World Drivers' Championship by 66 points over his teammate.
Related: Race Report & Results 2026 Italian Formula 1 Grand Prix
