Why Italy Struggles For An F1 Win At Monza

This weekend is the Italian F1 Grand Prix at Autodromo Nazionale Monza. The race, which has been on the calendar since 1950, has generally not been a happy hunting ground for Italian drivers. And that is probably why all eyes will be on local lad Kimi Antonelli come Sunday afternoon. The bolognesi driver, in only his second F1 season, has won half the races that have taken place this year, so he enters this weekend carrying the weight of a nation on his shoulders.

The Italian Account

In total, about a hundred Italian drivers have started an F1 Grand Prix weekend – and from that group just three have triumphed on home soil. In comparison, over a dozen British F1 drivers have won their home race. Even five Brazilians have managed the same feat. Three Germans have won an F1 race on home soil, and that is from a driver pool of about half the size of Italy’s.

Nino Farina won the first world championship visit there in 1950; he also went on to win the inaugural driver’s title. Alberto Ascari managed the feat twice in 1951 and ’52. He also went on to be crowned champ in 1952 and ’53. So the signs were pretty good to start with. The fervent fans in the grandstands must’ve felt that they’d be treated to their own winning at Monza on a regular basis. However, there were no subsequent wins for over a decade.

The excellently named Ludovico Scarfiotti took a famous home victory in 1966, his only visit to the F1 podium was straight to the top step. He had the good sense to do so in a Ferrari as well. It must’ve helped immensely that the amateur was the son of a Member of the Italian Parliament and nephew of Fiat’s President Gianni Agnelli. His win at home must’ve seem predestined.

A Drought

However, Scarfiotti’s victory at Monza was the very last time an Italian driver won at home. That’s sixty years ago. SIXTY. By contrast, the last English driver to win on British soil was Lando Norris in 2025. That a nation that which produced the sport’s first champion, that houses Ferrari’s headquarters, that treats Monza as a national pilgrimage, has not produced a race winner since before slick tyres were adopted in the sport must be a sore point beyond comprehension. We’ve been to Italy and everyone has opinions on F1.

Kimi Antonelli – a new hope

Kimi Antonelli, already a hero in Italy, enters this vacuum as the most credible Italian prospect in over a generation. It was the, then, teenager who took the country’s first F1 win in 20 years when he claimed victory at the Chinese race earlier this year. His last countryman to visit the top step of the podium was Giancarlo Fisichella who triumphed at the 2006 Malaysian Grand Prix driving for Renault.

Equally popular?

As popular as an Antonelli win would be, that may be quite difficult as a planned power-unit change is set to push him down the starting grid. This opens the door for his pursuers, most notably Ferrari to capitalise. Lewis Hamilton arrives level with Antonelli’s teammate Russell for second in the championship, while Charles Leclerc sits only four points behind Lando Norris in fifth.

Monza represents a real opportuity for the Scuderia to eat into Mercedes’ lead in both title races. The Scuderia has benefited from a slight power increase, along with a few other choice upgrades as the second part of the season gets into its stride. A strong qualifying session will be key, as will a flawless execution of strategy (and we know how that goes…). A win for either Ferrari driver will double their tally for this season.

Asking tough questions

The question is: will Ferrari management make the tough call to support one pilot over another. Leclerc is wildly popular in Italy, but Hamilton (who now owns an F40) is better placed to for a title chase. Will those in charge finally make preferential calls? Time will tell.

A win for a youngster in silver, or two season campaigners in red will all constitute a ‘home victory’, but one of them will be a little bit sweeter for the fans who have endured a sixty year wait.