Brundle's verdict on Antonelli fairytale, 'bruised' Russell and Ferrari 'skirmish' — SkimNews
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- Kimi Antonelli won the Italian Grand Prix from 19th on the grid, becoming the first Italian driver to win at Monza in 60 years after passing George Russell with fresher tyres late in the race
- Charles Leclerc crashed his Ferrari at the final Parabolica corner in a 60G impact after his left-rear tyre caught a painted green strip containing a drain cover, triggering a red flag; Brundle cites a trusted source suggesting Ferrari cars have a propensity to spike in power in such situations even on the simulator
- Lewis Hamilton and Leclerc collided at the first chicane on the opening lap when Hamilton forced his teammate wide; Leclerc then understeered into Hamilton and pushed him into the gravel, with stewards reviewing the incident and taking no further action
- George Russell, who had passed pole-sitter Pierre Gasly on lap two and was leading when the red flag flew, was left on 50-lap-old hard tyres after Mercedes split strategies with Antonelli; Brundle notes Russell is likely 'feeling bruised' by the call that effectively cost him the win
- Max Verstappen stayed in contention throughout the race and led at one stage, exploiting the Mercedes intra-team battle to close in before finishing behind Antonelli
- Lando Norris passed McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri by just two tenths of a second at the flag, with Norris claiming Piastri had forced him onto the grass at high speed in the closing laps
Why it matters: Mercedes' split-strategy decision directly handed their young Italian driver a win his team-mate felt he should have had, creating real intra-team tension heading into Madrid. Leclerc's red-flag crash also raises questions about Ferrari's power-unit behaviour on painted surfaces, while the Hamilton-Leclerc first-lap contact shows Ferrari's two drivers are still fighting over scraps rather than fighting for the front.
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