Lead graphic Data from Formula 1.
Monza is usually Ferrari territory. On Sunday, however, the biggest Italian story belonged to a Mercedes driver – and it travelled far beyond the circuit.
Kimi Antonelli came from 19th on the grid to win the 2026 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, becoming the first Italian driver to take victory in his home Grand Prix in 60 years. The 20-year-old’s comeback was already a remarkable sporting story. By Monday, it had also become one of Formula 1’s biggest Italian media moments of the season.
From the back to the front
The weekend had been built for attention. Sky Sport promoted Monza with interviews, live updates and special coverage, focusing on both Ferrari and Antonelli before the race. On track, Pierre Gasly took a surprise pole, George Russell started second and Ferrari put Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton third and fourth. Antonelli was buried near the back after Mercedes fitted new power-unit components that triggered a grid penalty.
The race changed almost immediately. Antonelli was already up to 12th when Leclerc crashed at Parabolica on lap two and caused a red flag. After the restart, Antonelli climbed again, reaching the fight at the front. A later Virtual Safety Car gave Mercedes the chance to put him on fresher medium tyres while Russell stayed out on older hards.
With four laps remaining, Antonelli caught and passed his teammate. He won by 3.857 seconds, with Max Verstappen third. The result completed a Mercedes one-two at a circuit where the home crowd is far more closely associated with Ferrari.
A home story that travelled
That contrast helped make the story bigger than a normal race result. Monza, often called the ‘Temple of Speed’, has hosted the Italian Grand Prix almost every year since 1950. The tifosi traditionally arrive in red, hoping for a Ferrari celebration. Instead, an Italian driver in silver stood on the top step while the national anthem played. Formula 1 confirmed that Antonelli was the first Italian to win the Italian Grand Prix in 60 years.
The audience followed. Sky Sport reported that the race attracted an average total audience of 4.464 million viewers across Sky and TV8 in Italy, with a 39% audience share. It was Sky’s strongest Formula 1 audience since 2022. The broadcaster also reported 7.251 million unique viewers. On its digital channels, the story kept moving: Sky Sport F1 recorded 3 million social interactions and 38 million video views on race day.
Media infographic data from Sky Sport, 7 September 2026.
The celebration itself became content. Sky published Antonelli’s point-of-view footage from the podium and another video showing him climbing the pit wall and diving into a crowd of supporters. The moment moved quickly from live television to short-form clips that could be replayed and shared.
Why the media angle matters
That matters because modern Formula 1 is not only a live sporting competition. It is also a global media and entertainment product built around television, streaming, highlights and social platforms. Formula 1 reported a global fanbase of 827 million in 2025, alongside 114.5 million social media followers and more than 2.3 billion social engagements. YouTube views for official race highlights were up 33% year on year.
In that environment, Antonelli’s Monza win was unusually easy to circulate. It had a young home driver, a back-row comeback, a historic milestone, Ferrari disappointment and a crowd ready to celebrate. Each part worked as a broadcast story, a highlight, a social clip or a headline.
Antonelli created the story with his driving. But Monza showed how quickly a sporting result can become a wider media event. Formula 1 left Italy with more than a race winner: it had a new Italian hero whose biggest moment so far was watched, clipped, shared and replayed across the platforms that now shape how the sport reaches its audience.
bella 
Hayden Price 
Finn Wilson