Antonelli and the Monza feat
Kimi Antonelli conquered Monza from 19th position and received well-deserved praise from Toto Wolff. The Austrian team principal was dazzled by the driving quality of the young champion from Bologna, highlighting his ability to make a difference in traffic, although it should be noted that the Mercedes was clearly the best car. However, the car was also driven by George Russell, who was beaten in qualifying by an Alpine and in the race by an Antonelli who started from the back.
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What impressed Wolff was not only the final result, but the way Antonelli fought back (after seven laps he was already sixth). According to the Mercedes boss, the real distinctive element was the driver himself, capable of climbing back and overtaking opponents with a consistency that reminded him of what other great champions have done in the past.
Wolff’s words on Antonelli
“We started with a logical strategy, which was to start on the hard tire and go for one stop. We knew Kimi would gain positions. Then the race was stopped with the red flag (caused by Charles Leclerc’s accident, ed.) and suddenly we found ourselves in a more difficult situation with the medium tire. But in the end it proved to be the right strategy,” this was Wolff’s comment on Antonelli’s race.
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“The difference was his ability to move through traffic. We have seen it with other greats in the past: Lewis did it in some races and that’s what Kimi did at Monza. Simply, there was no way to stop him. When a driver and a car become one, then there is nothing that can stop them,” he added.
The triumph at Monza brought Antonelli to a 66-point lead over Russell. A gap that widens to 76 points over Lewis Hamilton and 96 points over Lando Norris. The Bolognese is certain to finish the European season at the top of the standings.
