Why Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli is taking huge grid penalty at Monza - and what it means for the Italian’s home Grand Prix
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli will be taking a significant grid penalty at the Italian Grand Prix next week, Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team boss Toto Wolff has revealed.
Antonelli, who turned 20 on Tuesday, is set to have a full engine change in Monza, severely limiting his chances of winning his home race.
Early-season reliability issues - notably a retirement in Barcelona - forced Antonelli to breeze through his maximum allocation of international combustion engines and hybrid components prematurely.
This upcoming engine swap will therefore lead to a full back-of-the-grid punishment. Albeit harsh considering how much the Italian GP means to Antonelli, it’s the best time to do it to minimise the impact on his title chances.
Wolff, team principal of the Brackley-based Mercedes, explained: “With Kimi, we're taking the full thing. Our calculations say that that's the best track to take it.
“Obviously, algorithms don't take their nationality into consideration. We're here to fight for a championship and not get the most PR. So yeah, that's what we're going to do.”
It’s thought that Monza, due to its plethora of long straights, will heavily suit the Mercedes power unit. The Silver Arrows therefore believe they have the best chance of making up positions at the Temple of Speed, rather than elsewhere.
Antonelli’s teammate and championship rival George Russell may yet take a grid penalty of his own to maximise the performance of his W17 car.
“With George, the discussions are ongoing, if we were to take it,” Wolff added.
As it stands, Antonelli, on 242, has a 59-point lead to nearest challengers Russell and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who are both on 183 after 12 rounds.
Reigning champion, McLaren’s Lando Norris, has won the past two Grands Prix but is currently 83 points adrift from Antonelli, so it would take quite the recovery for a third Brit to enter the title race.
That said, stranger things have happened in this sport – not least Max Verstappen’s immense late-season comeback in 2025, when he came from 104 points behind Oscar Piastri to just two behind Norris after the final race.
The Italian Grand Prix gets underway at 2pm on Sunday, September 6.