Does Antonelli’s Monza win end the F1 2026 title fight?

This season’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza was supposed to be damage limitation for Andrea Kimi Antonelli after he took his fifth engine. Instead, the 20-year-old Mercedes driver started 19th, overtook George Russell and Max Verstappen, and won — moving 66 points clear in the 2026 Formula 1 world championship. With 10 rounds left, many in the paddock believe the title fight may already be settled. Antonelli has 11 podiums from 13 grands prix; Russell has seven. That consistency is world champion material. History offers examples of late comebacks, but they came under different circumstances. Oscar Piastri had 11 podiums after 13 rounds last year, yet he was overtaken. In 2026, Lewis Hamilton was only 22 points behind Nico Rosberg midway through the season. Russell’s 66-point deficit is three times that gap, and he does not have a different car or a team advantage to rely on. Russell would need Antonelli to have two DNFs and would need to win repeatedly. He is also expected to face an engine penalty in Azerbaijan. Monza was meant to be Antonelli’s joker weekend; it became a mental hammer blow for his teammate. Ferrari and McLaren are too far away, and Charles Leclerc was never truly in contention. Lewis Hamilton lacks the machinery to challenge consistently. Lando Norris and McLaren still have too many weaknesses. The mathematical answer remains no, but the realistic answer is leaning heavily toward Antonelli. Monza may be remembered as the weekend when the next era of F1 truly began.