Italian racing driver Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) made history on Sunday in Monaco, not only winning the Formula 1 Louis Vuitton Monaco Grand Prix 2026, but smashing a couple of records at the same time. Britain’s Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) came in second, and French Algerian racer Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) third.
Youngest Monaco Grand Prix winner in history
At only 19 years of age, Kimi Antonelli has become the youngest ever winner of the Monaco Grand Prix with his victory on 8 June 2026.
Antonelli, who last year replaced Lewis Hamilton to partner with George Russell in the Mercedes team (led by Toto Wolff), not only beat Hamilton on Sunday, but also broke the 41-year-old’s long-held record. Hamilton had held the title of Youngest Monaco Grand Prix winner ever since his victory at 23 in 2008!
Sunday’s win is a great achievement for the former karting champion who only got his driver’s license in 2025, at Italy’s legal age of 18.
The Monaco Grand Prix win marked Antonelli’s fifth victory in a row! F1 said: “Five in a row for Kimi, but the winning feeling never gets old 🥳”
It’s also the first time in 22 years that an Italian has won. (Jarno Trulli won in 2004.)
After the race, Antonelli revealed: “Once I took the lead and found myself in P1 at the first corner, I just had to enjoy the last few laps.”
Despite his rapid ascent to the top of the Drivers’ Championship standings, now leading with a 64 point advantage over Hamilton, the teenager is not slowing down! He told the press: “The season is still long, and we must continue to fight and raise the bar even higher. Our goal is to maintain this level of performance.”
Louis Vuitton Monaco Grand Prix 2026 Drama
Yesterday’s race was full of drama, with several penalties, mechanical failures and the early retirements of both Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian racer) and Monegasque favourite Charles Leclerc. (A hugely disappointed Leclerc called the failure of his rear brakes “unacceptable” and said his car had become “un-drivable”.)
As the Automobile Club of Monaco (ACM) said: “A veritable series of breakdowns served as a stark reminder that the first challenge of the day was simply to keep the car running.”
Hamilton’s girlfriend Kim Kardashian also unintentionally created drama on social media – for appearing to ignore a well-known British presenter, and for taking a white towel that was allegedly intended for Antonelli.
Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco, along with Michel Boeri, President of the ACM, presented the trophies.
And, in keeping with tradition, Antonelli dived into Port Hercule after the ceremonies.
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