Antonelli to start Italian GP from back of grid after power unit change

Formula One championship leader Kimi Antonelli will start from the back of the grid at his home Italian Grand Prix after Mercedes confirmed it will install a new power unit in his car, exceeding the season's allowed allocation. The decision, announced by team principal Toto Wolff ahead of the upcoming race at Monza, was described as a strategic necessity based on engineering data to ensure reliability for the remainder of the title fight.

Antonelli, who holds a 59-point lead over teammate George Russell and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, has already used his permitted four power units for the season. Reliability issues earlier in the campaign forced the team into this position. Wolff explained that calculations identified the high-speed Monza circuit, with its long straights and numerous overtaking opportunities, as the optimal venue to absorb the penalty.

"In theory, our calculations say that that's the best track to take it," Wolff stated. "Obviously, our algorithms don't take the nationality into consideration. But we are here to fight for a championship and not to get the most PR. So, that's what we are going to do." He emphasized that the decision was purely performance-driven...