Riccardo Patrese has backed Charles Leclerc to win the 2026 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, predicting the Ferrari driver will finish ahead of Lando Norris while championship leader Kimi Antonelli recovers from the back of the grid to take third place. The former Formula 1 driver believes Charles Leclerc’s affinity with Monza could once again prove decisive at Ferrari’s home race.
The Monza weekend is now fast approaching, and the atmosphere surrounding the Italian Grand Prix is already intense. Sunday has been sold out for months, reflecting the enthusiasm generated by a competitive Ferrari and the remarkable championship challenge mounted by Kimi Antonelli.
Riccardo Patrese predicts Charles Leclerc will win at Monza
A direct battle between Ferrari and Kimi Antonelli will be complicated by the Mercedes driver’s starting position. The championship leader is set to start from the back of the grid after receiving a penalty for using a new power unit beyond the four permitted under the regulations. Mercedes’ decision to take the fresh engine and the consequences for Kimi Antonelli’s Monza starting position create the prospect of a major recovery drive on home soil.
Riccardo Patrese nevertheless expects the Italian flag to be represented on the podium at the end of the race, while placing Charles Leclerc at the top of his predicted finishing order.
“We know who the strongest drivers are, and they are Kimi and Lando, but Monza is a circuit in its own right,” Riccardo Patrese told Vision4Sport. “Charles Leclerc loves this circuit, where he has already won in the past. So, I would say Charles Leclerc will win. Lando Norris will finish second and Kimi Antonelli third.”
The prediction would require a significant recovery from Kimi Antonelli after his grid penalty, but it also reflects Riccardo Patrese’s confidence that Charles Leclerc can once again make the most of Ferrari’s home advantage at Monza.
Kimi Antonelli’s title challenge is changing Italian support
Riccardo Patrese also believes a comeback from Kimi Antonelli, and potentially an eventual Formula 1 world title for the Italian, would be celebrated enthusiastically by fans across the country. The Mercedes driver arrives at Monza leading the championship, with his unexpected title challenge adding another major Italian storyline to a weekend traditionally dominated by Ferrari.
The current championship picture can be followed in the 2026 Formula 1 driver standings.
“In my day, only Ferrari mattered. Nobody cared whether I won or lost because only Ferrari mattered,” Riccardo Patrese added. “Kimi is very, very popular in Italy. Nobody expected such a young Italian driver to be able to fight for the title.”
The former Formula 1 driver believes the long wait for another Ferrari championship success has helped change the loyalties of a younger generation of Italian fans.
“It has been so long since Ferrari last won that young Italian fans support Kimi rather than Ferrari. The new generation is definitely in favour of Kimi Antonelli.”
That combination gives the 2026 Italian Grand Prix an unusual dynamic. Ferrari will once again carry the hopes of the Tifosi at its most important home event, with Charles Leclerc backed by Riccardo Patrese to deliver victory, while Kimi Antonelli will attempt to fight through the field in front of an Italian crowd that increasingly sees the championship leader as one of its own.
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