Could Antonelli have won the Italian GP without the VSC?

Kimi Antonelli faced a challenging start to his home Italian Grand Prix by qualifying 19th, a position necessitated by an engine penalty dictated by Mercedes' performance algorithms. Toto Wolff noted that these systems operate purely on data without regard for a driver's nationality. Despite the computer's prediction that a top-five finish was his ceiling, Antonelli defied the odds with a spectacular drive. Even after taking the lead on Lap 18, the team's initial tyre strategy suggested he would likely finish no higher than second place.