Historic winner at Monza after starting 19th, Kimi Antonelli experienced a totally crazy day. To the point of crashing WhatsApp under the flood of congratulatory messages.
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Kimi Antonelli will never forget his 2026 Italian Grand Prix. At only 20 years old, the Mercedes driver achieved one of the greatest comebacks in Formula 1 history by winning at Monza after starting from 19th on the grid.
The first Italian to win his home Grand Prix since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966, Antonelli also took a 66-point lead in the world championship over his teammate George Russell. But beyond the victory, it was the post-race that completely overwhelmed him.
“WhatsApp crashed because there were so many messages”
A few days before the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, Antonelli looked back on the hours following his triumph in front of the tifosi. And the reaction of his phone alone sums up the magnitude of the event.
“I received a huge number of messages. When I opened WhatsApp after the race, there were so many that the app crashed.”
The young Italian recounts the scene with humor: “I entered the app and came out without even touching the phone, because it had exploded.”
Sinner, Valentino Rossi… and all of Italy
Congratulations came from all corners of Italian sport. Antonelli notably received messages from several big stars of the country.
“I received very nice messages from Jannik Sinner, Marco Bezzecchi, Vale (Valentino Rossi), and literally everyone.”
The Mercedes driver admits he was particularly touched by this wave of support.
“It was really incredible to see so much support, so much enthusiasm and excitement. It was really very, very cool.”
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Impossible, however, to single out one message as more striking than another.
“Honestly, it’s very hard to choose one. They were all really very, very kind.”
Karting to come back down to earth
Antonelli described this Sunday at Monza as the “best day of his life,” a day he says he wants to remember forever. Yet, the very next day, he chose a rather particular way to get back down to earth.
Instead of enjoying his success, he went back… karting with his team.
“Sometimes, it’s hard to stay calm and not get too carried away. Monza was a very intense emotional day.”
This karting session allowed him to reconnect with his beginnings.
“Going karting on Monday helped me come back down to earth. It was a way to remind myself where I come from and all the path traveled.”
Keeping feet on the ground despite favorite status
Between the celebrations at Monza, the tifosi chanting his name on the podium, and a now comfortable lead in the championship, Antonelli has become the big favorite for the 2026 world title.
But the Mercedes driver insists on keeping the same approach as before his historic victory.
“It was a day to have fun, train, and keep feet on the ground.”
A philosophy that well illustrates the mindset of the young Italian, now launched into the final part of the season with nine Grands Prix — or maybe ten if the calendar changes — to go after his first world crown.
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