Penalty for Kimi Antonelli at Monza: Italian fans have been waiting for 60 years

When Kimi Antonelli won his first Formula 1 World Championship race in China in 2026, the then teenager became the first Italian Grand Prix winner since Giancarlo Fisichella in Brazil in 2003!

And anyone who thinks this represents a long wait for passionate Italian racing fans should take a look at this statistic: the last Italian winner at the home Grand Prix in Monza was Ludovico Scarfiotti – 60 years ago!

Ludovico Scarfiotti 1966 mit seinem Ferrari in Monza

Foto: Grand Prix Photo

The big difference between Scarfiotti in 1966 and Antonelli in 2026: Ludovico was driving a Ferrari, whilst Kimi is driving a Mercedes.

This leaves fans south of the Alps with a dilemma: should they cheer on their Ferrari or their compatriot in a Mercedes?

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I can clearly recall a comment made by Riccardo Patrese, who competed in 256 Grand Prix races. It was in 1983 at the San Marino Grand Prix in Imola. Patrese, in his Brabham, had closed in on Patrick Tambay’s leading Ferrari and overtook the Frenchman on the 55th of 60 laps. But then he skidded off the track at the Variante Alte. The fans went wild with joy, as a Ferrari was now back in the lead. Tambay won.

Patrese said afterwards, with a sense of disillusionment: “As an Italian, you’re worth nothing in your own country unless you’re driving a Ferrari.”

Antonelli is giving the fans something to dream about, as the only two Formula 1 world champions from Italy – Nino Farina and Alberto Ascari in the 1950s – were, in a sense, from the Stone Age of Formula 1. Farina won in 1950, Ascari triumphed in 1952/1953.

However, a Monza victory for Kimi Antonelli will be an uphill struggle: the championship leader has to have a fresh engine fitted, and it is not yet entirely clear whether this will simply be a new combustion engine (ten places down the grid) or a complete power unit (starting from the very back).

Time and again, Tifosi ask themselves: why on earth isn’t Kimi Antonelli driving a Ferrari? Who messed this up?

Former Ferrari boss Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, who, like Kimi, hails from Bologna, has remarked: “It does bother me a bit to see him in a Mercedes. I’d absolutely love to see him in a Ferrari.”

But why is that actually the case? Did Ferrari simply overlook the young Kimi when scouting for talent? Or did someone drop the ball?

Montezemolo commented on the matter to Sky Italia: “I know that our sporting director at the time, Massimo Rivola, intended to sign Antonelli.”

Giovanni Minardi (son of team founder Giancarlo Minardi) told *La Gazzetta dello Sport*: “We started working on this early on, aiming to get Kimi into a junior programme as quickly as possible. We spoke to both Ferrari and Mercedes – it was important to act wisely and choose the partner who could offer the best guarantees.”

Marco Antonelli, Kimi’s father, told the Formula Passion website: “Kimi was eleven years old and was even allowed to try out the simulator at Ferrari in Maranello – the very same one that had been developed for the students at Ferrari’s Driver Academy. Everything was in place to secure a place for my son at Ferrari.”

“But Maurizio Arrivabene, then head of the racing department, ultimately said my son was too young. A few months later, Mercedes got in touch with us, and the rest is history.”