The Italian Grand Prix will have an unexpected twist before the cars hit the track. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, current leader of the Formula 1 championship, will face the race at Monza from the back of the grid following a strategic decision by Mercedes.
The German team decided to install a fifth power unit in the Italian driver's car, after reliability issues he faced during the season. Since the change exceeds the number of components allowed by the regulations, Antonelli will have to serve a penalty that will send him to the last place on the grid.
Mercedes chose Monza to serve the penalty due to the characteristics of the circuit. The long straights, high speeds, and various overtaking points make the Italian track one of the most favorable scenarios to try to recover positions during the race. Toto Wolff, the team principal, explained the logic behind the decision and stated: "Our calculations say this is the best track to serve the penalty. We are here to fight for a world championship, not for public relations".
The situation will also carry a special weight for Antonelli, who will race at home and arrives at the thirteenth round of the calendar at the top of the championship. The Italian has accumulated 242 points and holds a 59-point lead over George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, so a comeback will be key to prevent his main pursuers from closing the gap.
Far from lamenting the penalty, the young driver anticipated that he would change his approach for the weekend. Antonelli stated: "Since I'm starting last, it's going to be total attack". At the same time, he clarified that he would not take unnecessary risks and explained: "Obviously, I will still use my head. It's not like I'm going to arrive at the first braking point on Sunday and brake as if it were qualifying, because otherwise, I would cause an accident!".
The championship leader also acknowledged that the situation could relieve some pressure. "I don't want to jinx it, but I have nothing to lose. The goal is to recover as many points as possible using my head, but the mentality will be to attack as much as I can and try to gain as many positions as possible", he affirmed.
The penalty will also change Mercedes' preparation. Without the need to seek a competitive starting position for Antonelli, the team will be able to focus specifically on finding race pace and working on setup and tire management. In that sense, the driver himself stated: "We will work a bit differently than usual this weekend, focusing only on race setup, and then we'll see. I think the top five could be within reach, but obviously, we will have to see how the race unfolds".
When Colapinto returns to racing
After his challenging participation in Zandvoort, the Argentine, who will now have the upgrades in his A526 that Alpine developed during the summer break, will seek to recover at the Italian Grand Prix. Activities at the legendary Italian circuit will begin on Friday, September 4 with the first free practices and will conclude on Sunday, September 6 with the main race.
Previously, the native of Pilar had two races at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza. The first was in 2024, in his debut as a full-time driver for Williams, where he finished 12th, while the second was last year, already with Alpine, where he crossed the finish line in 17th position.
