Samwise F1 Newsletter
Monday, September 7, 2026
Antonelli Wins Italian Grand Prix from 19th in Historic Monza Comeback
Andrea Kimi Antonelli claimed a stunning home victory at the Italian Grand Prix, surging from 19th on the grid to beat Mercedes team-mate George Russell at Monza. Starting at the back after a power unit penalty, he reached 12th before the race was red-flagged on lap two. Switching to fresh medium tyres at the restart, he carved through the field and pitted under a virtual safety car while Russell stayed on used hards. Antonelli made the decisive pass four laps from the end, winning by 3.857 seconds. The seventh win of the season extended his lead to 66 points, making him the first Italian to win at Monza since 1966.
Gasly Claims Maiden F1 Pole Position at Monza for Alpine
Pierre Gasly claimed his maiden Formula 1 pole position at the Italian Grand Prix, ending Alpine's wait for a front-row start in sensational fashion at Monza. The Frenchman set a fastest lap of 1:21.786 on his final Q3 run to edge out Mercedes' George Russell by just 0.060 seconds, with McLaren's Oscar Piastri completing the top three. Gasly had been chasing his first pole across 190 race starts in the sport. Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, who subsequently started 19th after a power unit penalty, had originally qualified seventh. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton occupied fourth and fifth on the grid before penalties reshuffled the order.
Sources: Formula 1, Motorsport.com
Leclerc Suffers Heavy Crash at Parabolica, Faces Fitness Checks Before Madrid
The Italian Grand Prix was red-flagged on lap two after Ferrari's Charles Leclerc suffered a heavy crash at Monza's Parabolica corner. Fighting for position with McLaren's Oscar Piastri, Leclerc lost the rear of his car on the corner exit, slid through the gravel, and struck the tyre barrier hard. He climbed clear of the wreckage and was released from the medical centre after checks revealed no injuries. Leclerc did report brief blurry vision in his right eye immediately after the impact. He said the problem improved, but he requires further medical checks before next weekend's Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid to confirm his fitness to race.
Audi Challenges FIA Decision to Clear Tsunoda Over Italian GP Restart Infringement
Audi has lodged an intention to appeal the FIA stewards' decision to clear Yuki Tsunoda of a start procedure infringement at the Italian Grand Prix. Tsunoda, driving for Racing Bulls, entered an incorrect grid slot during the restart after the Leclerc red flag, sitting at an angle that prompted race director Rui Marques to order an extra formation lap. Stewards cleared Tsunoda, ruling he did not technically cause the extra lap as the director acted on his own initiative. Audi contends that the regulation requiring a driver who causes an extra formation lap to start from the pitlane should have applied, and that success would promote Bortoleto into the points.
Sources: The Race, Motorsport.com
Hamilton Calls Ferrari Qualifying Strategy Pretty Bad After Sixth-Place Italian GP Finish
Lewis Hamilton criticised Ferrari's Italian Grand Prix qualifying execution as 'pretty bad' after a strategy delay left him with just one push lap in Q2. He said a delay caused by Charles Leclerc's reluctance to go out on track cost him a cleaner session attempt. In the race, Hamilton moved up the inside of team-mate Leclerc at Turn 1, ended up in the gravel, and fell out of contention before recovering to finish sixth. He described the outcome as 'tough one to swallow' but reined in further criticism, saying he did not want to get into arguments with his team. Hamilton sits 76 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
Sources: Formula 1, Sky Sports
Wolff Says Russell Was Done Over by Verstappen in Monza Qualifying Battle
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said George Russell was 'done over by Max Verstappen' after losing pole position at the Italian Grand Prix to Alpine's Pierre Gasly. At Monza, where a slipstream is crucial to a fast lap time, Verstappen braked sharply on the approach to Parabolica in the closing stages of Q3, disrupting the timing of Russell's final run. Russell confirmed that Verstappen 'slammed on the brakes and didn't want to be the lead car,' leaving him without the tow advantage he needed. Russell ended up 0.060 seconds short of Gasly's time, missing out on what would have been his fifth pole of the season.
Sources: GrandPrix247, RaceFans
Vettel Drives Schumacher Ferrari F2002 in Emotional Monza Tribute
Retired four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel drove Michael Schumacher's iconic Ferrari F2002 at Monza in an emotional tribute ahead of the Italian Grand Prix. Vettel piloted the championship-winning 2002 car around the circuit, delighting the tifosi. Ferrari ran the historic machine on sustainable fuel developed under current technical regulations. After his demonstration laps, a visibly moved Vettel said the experience felt as though he had 'won the race before it even started,' adding that he felt Schumacher's presence throughout. Former Ferrari driver Rubens Barrichello, who raced alongside Schumacher in 2002, also participated in a demonstration run on Saturday after qualifying, sharing the tribute occasion with Vettel.
Norris Falls Short of Third Straight Win at Monza, McLaren Score 22 Constructor Points
Lando Norris arrived at Monza targeting a third consecutive Formula 1 victory after wins in Hungary and the Netherlands, but the reigning world champion settled for fourth at the Italian Grand Prix behind Kimi Antonelli, George Russell, and Max Verstappen. Team-mate Oscar Piastri crossed fifth, giving McLaren 22 combined constructor points for the day. McLaren acknowledged before the race that Monza's characteristics presented a different challenge from the circuits where they had recently dominated. Norris now sits 96 points behind championship leader Antonelli with ten rounds remaining. McLaren remains third in the constructors' standings on 287 points, 59 points behind Ferrari.
Sources: GrandPrix247, McLaren.com
Stroll Reaches 100 Q1 Eliminations as Aston Martin Endures Nightmare Italian GP Weekend
Lance Stroll reached 100 qualifying first-segment eliminations at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, failing to advance beyond Q1 for the 100th time in his Formula 1 career. The Canadian driver, racing for Aston Martin, qualified at the back of the field. Team-mate Fernando Alonso was also absent from the final qualifying stages following a Honda-related technical problem and started the race from the pitlane. Stroll then retired from the race on lap 28 with a hydraulic failure, triggering a virtual safety car that proved strategically important for Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, who pitted under the caution period for fresh tyres on his way to victory.
Sources: Motorsport Week, Crash.net
Drivers' Championship
| Pos | Driver | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | K. Antonelli | 267 |
| 2 | G. Russell | 201 |
| 3 | L. Hamilton | 191 |
| 4 | L. Norris | 171 |
| 5 | C. Leclerc | 155 |
| 6 | M. Verstappen | 127 |
| 7 | O. Piastri | 116 |
| 8 | I. Hadjar | 71 |
| 9 | L. Lawson | 51 |
| 10 | P. Gasly | 41 |
| 11 | A. Lindblad | 29 |
| 12 | F. Colapinto | 21 |
| 13 | O. Bearman | 18 |
| 14 | G. Bortoleto | 10 |
| 15 | N. Hülkenberg | 6 |
| 16 | C. Sainz | 6 |
| 17 | A. Albon | 5 |
| 18 | E. Ocon | 3 |
| 19 | F. Alonso | 3 |
| 20 | Y. Tsunoda | 1 |
| 21 | L. Stroll | 0 |
| 22 | V. Bottas | 0 |
| 23 | S. Pérez | 0 |
Constructors' Championship
| Pos | Constructor | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes | 468 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 346 |
| 3 | McLaren | 287 |
| 4 | Red Bull | 204 |
| 5 | Racing Bulls | 75 |
| 6 | Alpine | 62 |
| 7 | Haas | 21 |
| 8 | Audi | 11 |
| 9 | Williams | 5 |
| 10 | Aston Martin | 3 |
| 11 | Cadillac | 0 |
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