Antonelli reveals Monaco restart fear after shattering Hamilton record

Kimi Antonelli confessed he was far from thrilled about the Monaco Grand Prix restart after a late red flag erased his 20-second lead with 10 laps to go. The 19-year-old held his nerve, beating Lewis Hamilton to secure the win, claim a grand chelem, and become the youngest Monaco winner in history by four years.

Why it matters:

Antonelli now leads the championship by 66 points over Hamilton and 68 over teammate George Russell, cementing his status as title favorite. Breaking Hamilton's 2008 Monaco record, set when the Briton was 23, marks a definitive generational shift in F1.

The details:

• The race was suspended after the track surface broke up, wiping out Antonelli's lead and forcing a tense sprint to the finish from a standing start.
• Antonelli admitted he was "not super-keen" on restarting, revealing he reviewed data and focused on tyre temperatures before the lights went out.
• He held the lead into Turn 1, completing a grand chelem with pole, the win, fastest lap, and leading every lap.
• Conversely, Russell endured a nightmare, tumbling to 13th after a pit-lane speeding penalty and a subsequent drive-through for failing to serve it correctly.

What's next:

The victory proves Antonelli has the mental toughness to thrive at the sport's most unforgiving venue. If Mercedes maintains its edge, the Italian looks set to extend his commanding championship lead further.