Brundle's verdict on Antonelli fairytale, 'bruised' Russell and Ferrari 'skirmish' — SkimNews
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- Kimi Antonelli won the Italian Grand Prix from P19 on the grid, becoming the first Italian to win at Monza in 60 years after passing Mercedes teammate George Russell on track late in the race.
- Charles Leclerc crashed his Ferrari into the barriers at Parabolica with a 60G impact after his left-rear tyre hit a painted drain strip, triggering the second Monza red flag this century (after 2020) and wiping out Russell's lead.
- George Russell stayed out on hard tyres under a late virtual safety car while Mercedes called Antonelli in for fresh mediums; Russell finished on 50-lap-old rubber and was passed, with Brundle noting he is "feeling bruised" by the split.
- Lewis Hamilton and Leclerc tangled at the first chicane on lap one, with Hamilton forced into the gravel; stewards reviewed and ruled it a racing incident with no further action.
- Ferrari's car has a "propensity to spike a little in power" in throttle situations like Leclerc's crash, even on the simulator, according to a trusted source who told Brundle — though the team itself did not confirm this.
- Max Verstappen stayed within striking distance throughout and led at one stage in a Red Bull that Brundle said was "fundamentally slower" than the two Mercedes.
- Lando Norris passed McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri on the final lap to finish two-tenths ahead in a duel Brundle called "a bit personal," with Norris feeling Piastri had pushed him onto the grass.
Why it matters: Antonelli's home win from last on the grid is a generational result for Mercedes and Italian motorsport, but the strategic split leaves Russell publicly diplomatic and privately "bruised" heading into the new Madrid round. Ferrari's unconfirmed throttle-spike revelation adds a second-order reliability question to a Scuderia weekend where their own drivers took each other out on lap one.
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