Lewis Hamilton saw something ‘mind-blowing’ from Mercedes in Kimi Antonelli’s Italian Grand Prix win

Mercedes star Antonelli, who solely turned 20 years outdated on August 25, additionally received the Italian GP regardless of beginning the race from P19 because of a grid penalty after taking a brand new engine past his permitted quota. Solely John Watson has ever received a Grand Prix from decrease down the grid when he received the 1983 United States Grand Prix West from P22 in Lengthy Seaside for McLaren.

Listed here are our prime 5 drivers on the Italian Grand Prix! What would you alter?

Lewis Hamilton discovered Mercedes’ straight-line velocity at Monza ‘mind-blowing’

Hamilton, in distinction, completed the 2026 Italian GP in P6 regardless of ranging from P4 on the grid, after an incident along with his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc put the seven-time F1 champion on the again foot. Leclerc ran Hamilton into the gravel exiting Monza’s first chicane, as he didn’t need to yield P3 to the Briton regardless of his teammate getting his nostril in entrance on the apex.

READ MORE: Andrea Kimi Antonelli wins the 2026 F1 Italian GP from P19 on the Monza grid

Talking after the Italian GP, by way of quotes by RacingNews365, Hamilton implied that Leclerc didn’t race him in a “clear and honest” method at Ferrari’s house race like he would have accomplished in an identical scenario. Hamilton even implied that Leclerc had put Ferrari’s race in “jeopardy”.

Hamilton mentioned on his incident with Leclerc at Monza: “I’ve at all times raced clear and pretty, and at all times left house, so I don’t suppose they need to be fearful about me. I’ve come into the staff and tried to be respectful of house, and undoubtedly not put the staff in jeopardy.”

The Flip 2 incident with Leclerc was finally not the largest blow for Ferrari at Monza, as Hamilton was quickly their solely hope after the Monegasque crashed at Parabolica to require a crimson flag stoppage. Hamilton additionally knew he had no probability to catch again as much as Mercedes rival George Russell or halt Antonelli’s rise via the sphere owing to Ferrari’s straight-line velocity.

He added: “Clearly, it put us means again in positions. I then tried to reset, and I used to be within the struggle, doing good. The grip felt good, and the automobile usually felt respectable via the corners.

“However on the straights, they have been simply pulling [away]. We knew they have been quick on the straights, but it surely was actually mind-blowing simply how fast they have been on the straights. The Mercedes energy… that factor simply retains pulling, pulling, pulling.”

Was Kimi Antonelli’s Monza win the most effective drives ever, or did the batteries make overtaking too straightforward?

Ferrari debuted their ADUO2 engine improve at Monza within the hopes of lowering their energy deficit to Mercedes this yr. The Scuderia have tweaked among the inner points of the turbocharger and in addition switched to a brand new gas from provider Shell from final week’s Italian GP.

But it’s mentioned that Ferrari’s ADUO2 engine upgrade only yielded an additional five horsepower fairly than the 15hp initially predicted. Hamilton and staff principal Fred Vasseur have been nicely conscious that their restricted energy acquire could be an issue after observe on the Italian GP, with the previous claiming on Friday that he was shedding six-tenths to Mercedes down the straights.

Hamilton’s straight-line velocity deficit ensured he was powerless to catch again as much as Russell within the early phases of the Italian GP, or supply any type of defence amid Antonelli’s cost en path to successful at Monza. Antonelli merely breezed previous Hamilton via Curva Grande on Lap 12 of 53, earlier than passing the Briton once more on Lap 35 after the Italian made a pit cease.