a group of cars driving down a race track

Antonelli, 19, Becomes Youngest Winner of Chaotic Monaco Grand Prix

sportJun 9, 2026·358 words·3 min read

Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli claimed a chaotic Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday, becoming the youngest winner of Formula One's most prestigious race at 19 years and nine months. Driving for Mercedes, Antonelli converted his pole position into a dominant lead and held off seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in his Ferrari, who finished 6.2 seconds behind in second place. Red Bull's Isack Hadjar completed the podium.

This was Antonelli's fifth win in a row. After only six races, he leads the championship by 66 points. His job got easier when Max Verstappen's car broke down just after the start. Then chaos hit when Charles Leclerc crashed. A red flag stopped the race while officials checked the track. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff called Antonelli's qualifying lap "unbelievable".

Five drivers were punished for speeding in the pit lane (where cars stop for repairs). The FIA (Formula One's rule-makers) had warned teams about this. Pierre Gasly thought he had finished third, but he dropped to seventh after two penalties. His team called the decision unfair and asked for a review. George Russell slipped to 13th after a team mistake. Hamilton, now second in the championship, said his first win with Ferrari will come soon.

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