Antonelli set for Historic Italian GP weekend despite back-of-grid start

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Kimi Antonelli heads into a landmark home Italian Grand Prix at Monza carrying the weight of history, despite facing the daunting prospect of starting from the back of the grid.

The Mercedes youngster, who celebrated his 20th birthday last week, arrives at the iconic “Temple of Speed” as the first Italian in 73 years to lead the Formula One world championship.

Antonelli is also chasing the possibility of becoming Italy’s first F1 world champion since Alberto Ascari claimed his second title in 1953.

After 12 rounds of the season, Antonelli has established a commanding 59-point advantage over Mercedes teammate George Russell and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, putting him firmly in contention for a historic championship triumph on home soil.

However, his Monza challenge has been complicated by his back-of-the-grid starting position, leaving him with a major recovery drive if he is to extend his championship lead.

Behind him, McLaren’s reigning world champion Lando Norris has closed the gap after a strong run of form. The Briton has won the past two races in Hungary and the Netherlands and sits 24 points behind Antonelli in the standings.
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