Kimi Antonelli set for house race F1 grid penalty at Italian GP

Mercedes Staff Principal Toto Wolff has confirmed that Andrea Kimi Antonelli will take an engine penalty on the Italian Grand Prix.

After the Dutch Grand Prix, the Italian driver leads the Drivers’ Championship with a 59-point lead over teammate George Russell. Each Mercedes drivers will exceed their allowed part limits within the second half of the season, forcing them to take grid penalties in some unspecified time in the future within the subsequent few races.

Antonelli, who turned 20 on twenty fifth August, retired in Barcelona because of {an electrical} shutdown brought on by a battery failure. Russell additionally suffered from a battery-issue associated retirement two races earlier in Canada.

Bradley Lord, Mercedes Deputy Staff Principal, informed media final month that Antonelli would seemingly take his penalty at Monza, regardless of it being his house race.

“There could possibly be one that may be very particular for Kimi, however on paper appears to be like prefer it’s an excellent place to take an engine penalty,” he mentioned.

Toto Wolff then confirmed after the Dutch GP that Antonelli could have a full engine change in Italy.

He informed media, together with Motorsport Week: “With Kimi, we’re taking the complete factor. In idea, our calculations say that’s the finest monitor to take it.

“Clearly, algorithms don’t take the nationality into consideration, however we’re right here to combat for a championship and never get essentially the most PR, in order that’s what we’re going to do.”

Wolff added that Mercedes are but to determine the place Russell will take his engine penalty: “With George, the discussions are ongoing even the place to take it.”

Final day out in Monza, Russell completed fifth with Antonelli simply making the highest 10 to carry a complete of 12 factors again to Brackley.

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