There are drives that win races, and then there are drives that make a team principal search for new words entirely. Kimi Antonelli's home weekend in Monza was the latter, and Toto Wolff's reaction afterward said it all. 

Antonelli's rookie season in 2025 was a bumpy one. Fast-tracked into Mercedes as Lewis Hamilton's replacement at just 18, he struggled through a difficult European stretch, including a nine-race run without scoring a point, prompting Wolff to famously compare him to "a deer in the headlights." 

It's been a remarkable turnaround since. During the Italian Grand Prix on September 6th at Monza, Antonelli started 19th after a grid penalty for a new engine, yet fought through the field to win his home race, putting him firmly in control of the title race. Speaking to the Guardian, Wolff drew a comparison to Lewis Hamilton. 

"We’ve seen it with other great ones in the past – Lewis, who did it at some of the races – that’s what he’s shown," Wolff said while talking to The Guardian. "There’s just no stopping when a driver and a car are one, there’s nothing that can stop them."

He didn't stop there, admitting he's still taken aback by how fast his young driver is developing.

"That’s why the results that we’ve seen afterwards. But it is still surprising and amazing to see how quickly he develops. For me, it’s like an AI agent that continuously self-improves and learns."

With ten rounds still to run and Madrid up next, Antonelli's rivals now face an unenviable task: stopping a driver and a team principal who believe the run is only just getting started. 

From Parabolica crash to Monza victory :Kimi Antonelli’s 'dream come true'

Kimi Antonelli's remarkable recovery drive at his home Italian Grand Prix left him almost lost for words. 

After the race resumed following an early red flag, Antonelli worked his way up to 12th before locking into a fierce battle with teammate George Russell for the lead. 

A pit stop under a mid-race Virtual Safety Car proved decisive, handing him fresher tyres that he used to reel in and overtake Russell with four laps to go. 

While talking to Formula One post-race, he expressed his feelings. 

"Unbelievable, I'm so happy. I could never have imagined being here today, but we managed to pull it off," Antonelli said moments after crossing the line, speaking to Formula1.com. "It's a dream coming true." 

The victory meant even more given his history at the circuit. Two years earlier, his very first F1 outing had ended in a crash at the Parabolica just ten minutes into first practice, making Sunday's win feel like a moment that had come full circle.

What started with a crash at the Parabolica ended, two years later, in a home win he'll never forget. 

Written by

Chionia Libania Colaco