Home / Sports / Antonelli Faces Back of Grid Penalty in Monza
Antonelli Faces Back of Grid Penalty in Monza
26 Aug
Summary
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli will receive a back-of-the-grid penalty at Monza.
- The penalty stems from a full power unit change due to reliability issues.
- Mercedes calculated Monza as the optimal track for this grid drop.
Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli will start from the back of the grid at the upcoming Italian Grand Prix in Monza due to a full power unit change. This decision follows a series of reliability issues experienced by both Antonelli and teammate George Russell during the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Antonelli has already utilized his fourth Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) at Spa-Francorchamps, prompting Mercedes to install a fifth ICE to ensure sufficient power unit components for the remainder of the season. This fifth ICE, along with other component changes, triggers an automatic back-of-the-grid penalty.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff confirmed the penalty, stating that their performance analysis identified Monza as the most advantageous circuit for Antonelli to incur this penalty. Wolff clarified that the team's strategic algorithms do not factor in a driver's nationality when making such crucial decisions.
Antonelli himself acknowledged the penalty, recognizing that while it's not ideal for his home race, Monza offers a track where overtaking is more feasible, providing a chance to achieve a strong result and secure valuable points.
