It would take all day to dissect everything that happened at the Italian Grand Prix after a chaotic weekend at Monza 2026. It was not just the race of the season so far; it was an all-time Monza classic, and that is a big statement considering the Italian Grand Prix is one of the most historic races on the F1 calendar and has hosted so many iconic weekends over the years.
Nobody could have predicted the chaos that ensued on a Super Sunday for the ages, but following a remarkable Saturday qualifying session, maybe we shouldn't have been so surprised by a race that had just about everything.
The headline story on that Super Sunday was justifiably the exceptional Kimi Antonelli overtaking the whole field before getting the better of his teammate George Russell, but Saturday very much belonged to pole sitter Pierre Gasly. Yes, you read that right: the 2026 Italian Grand Prix pole sitter was Alpine's Pierre Gasly.
Far from a fluke
If Gasly had been in a Mercedes or Ferrari, his sensational pole position wouldn't have been a great surprise, because he was at the front from the beginning to the end of qualifying. The French driver topped the timing charts in Q1 and was just 0.195 seconds off first-place Antonelli in Q2 after convincingly making the top-10 shootout in P4.
But as Russell said in the post-qualifying press conference, we sometimes see midfield teams near the top in Q1 and Q2 as the big teams purposely save their best performance for Q3. It is often the top-10 shootout where the fastest teams and championship contenders dominate, and whichever midfield team was looking strong (usually the Racing Bulls) struggles to compete anywhere close to the front.
However, Alpine's pace throughout qualifying on Saturday was striking and clearly more than just a flash in the pan. Gasly was in for a real shot at disrupting things at the front of the grid and just needed to put together the perfect lap in Q3. No pressure, then.
The funny thing about Q3 was that, even with all the evidence of Gasly's pace in the first two sessions, when all the big names had finished their final flying laps and Russell was still on provisional pole, you assumed that was that. Mercedes had looked quick since Friday's practice sessions, and with Antonelli taking a major grid penalty, all the stars seemed aligned for a routine Russell pole position.
It would take something special to beat the lap that had the British driver on provisional pole, but Gasly has outperformed his car time and time again, so with Alpine looking capable of competing at the front, it maybe shouldn't have come as such a surprise when the Frenchman did what he had been threatening to do throughout qualifying.
He pipped Russell by just 0.65 seconds, but in a sport of fine margins, the Frenchman won't care how close it was - he was on pole for the first time in his career. In turn, he proved to the rest of the grid that the gap can be bridged between the top four teams and the rest. For the first time under these new regulations, the former winner at Monza gave the midfield hope that the Mercedes and Ferraris of the grid aren't totally untouchable.
A mixed day for the home fans
As Sunday rolled around on another scorching hot day in the Monza sunshine, there was a sense we could be in for an entertaining race with Gasly starting from the front and Antonelli at the back. However, nobody could have predicted the chaos that would ensue from lap one to the conclusion - there was always something happening in this enthralling race.
One of the main questions heading into it was how the two Ferraris would fare in front of an expectant Tifosi who had taken over the Grandstand in the iconic red colours. The answer came quicker than anyone could have anticipated, as Charles Leclerc crashed into the barriers on the second lap, silencing a home support that had seconds earlier been in full voice.
The sense of shock in the air was palpable.
Not all hope was lost, as Lewis Hamilton was still in contention for a strong finish. However, as the race progressed, it became obvious this wasn't going to be the seven-time world champion's day after he was overtaken by Max Verstappen, Oscar Piastri and eventually Lando Norris.
The pace simply wasn't there compared to his rivals, or at least Hamilton couldn't find it in a weekend where he never looked fully comfortable.
But as Hamilton continued to struggle, an unlikely story was beginning to emerge, one that piqued the interest of the home crowd.
Antonelli and Russell's epic battle
Antonelli had somehow worked his way through the field and was now battling at the front with his teammate Russell. It was an extraordinary turn of events that seemed to all happen in a flash.
Every time Antonelli made an overtake, the roar from the Grandstand was louder, and when he took the lead for the first time on lap 18, the home crowd went wild. The impossible suddenly looked very possible.
What followed was an epic back-and-forth reminiscent of the two Mercedes drivers' battle at the Canadian Grand Prix earlier this year.
It always felt like Antonelli had the pace advantage, and as the chequered flag closed in, the championship leader was gaining fast on his title rival.
Dramatically, Antonelli ran wide on his first attempt at an overtake but made no mistake on the second attempt with just a few laps left in a breathless race. This time, the Italian wasn't going to let Russell get back at him as the 20-year-old claimed a maiden home triumph in the most unlikely fashion.
Antonelli once again showcases his special talent
After all the drama, mistakes, crashes and different strategies, the most significant story was that instead of his lead being halved (as had been reported as a potential outcome), Antonelli ended the weekend extending his championship advantage - against all the odds.
And it has been striking, amongst all the chaos that comes with a Formula 1 race weekend, that Antonelli has remained calculated and businesslike throughout this season. Time and again, the young Italian has looked like one of the most mature and experienced drivers on the grid as he relentlessly pursues win after win.
His maiden triumph at Monza is his most impressive yet in a year where he has gone from understudy to World Champion in the making. Who would have seen that coming 12 months ago, when he looked very much like the rookie driver he was at his first Italian Grand Prix?
The only way is up for this special young talent, who was still a teenager until a few days ago but drives like someone in their prime. And after a special performance at his home race, he now has one hand on a title, and it's starting to feel like a matter of when, not if.
Harry Dunnett is a global editor for Flashscore, specialising in English football. An intrepid traveller who has spent time in South and Central America, Harry enjoys visiting new stadiums and experiencing sport and culture all over the world. Currently residing in the Midlands, you can read his latest articles here.