Kimi Antonelli, the Formula 1 championship leader, maintained his commanding form to win a chaotic Monaco Grand Prix, extending his winning streak this season to five.
The 19-year-old Italian started from pole position for Mercedes and quickly built a lead, but the advantage evaporated after a late red flag to inspect the track surface that had broken up at the final corner following a crash that eliminated Ferrari's Charles Leclerc from the race.
After approximately 40 minutes of delays for repairs, the race resumed with a standing start, but Antonelli remained unruffled, becoming the youngest driver ever to win the iconic event.
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton finished second in his second consecutive Grand Prix, while Red Bull's Isack Hadjar provisionally took third, though he was among several drivers under investigation for various infringements.
Hamilton, who equaled the record of eight Monaco podium finishes held by the late legend Ayrton Senna, leapfrogged Antonelli's teammate George Russell to take second place in the standings, trailing Antonelli by 66 points.
“This has been an incredible weekend and race,” Antonelli said, who was not even born the last time an Italian driver won the Monaco Grand Prix – Jarno Trulli in 2004. “We had incredible speed and everything felt very natural, which gave me the confidence to push hard.”
A year after finishing last in his F1 debut at Monaco, Antonelli showed remarkable poise to overcome the drama of the red flag, which meant he had to effectively win two races.
“I wasn't too thrilled about the restart, but when the announcement was made, I refocused my emotions and got back in the zone. Once I got through and was P1 into the first corner, I could enjoy the last few laps,” he added.
