Championship leader Antonelli vows full attack from back of grid at Monza home race

Kimi Antonelli will start his home Italian Grand Prix from the back of the grid after Mercedes fitted the 19-year-old’s car with a fifth power unit of the 2026 season, triggering an automatic grid penalty at Monza.

Despite the setback, the championship leader is framing the situation as a release of pressure rather than a crisis. “Given that I’m starting last, it’s going to be full attack,” Antonelli said. “I don’t want to jinx myself, but I’ve got nothing to lose. The goal is to recover as many points as possible while using my head, but the mindset will be to attack as much as possible and try to gain as many positions as I can.”

Antonelli’s relationship with Monza has been complicated. He crashed during his first F1 practice appearance there in 2024 and endured a difficult weekend at the circuit during his rookie campaign last year. Arriving this time as the standings leader, however, he appears to be drawing confidence from the reduced expectations that come with a back-of-the-grid start.

The penalty has also changed Mercedes’ strategic approach for the weekend. With qualifying irrelevant for Antonelli, the team will dedicate his sessions entirely to race set-up — a luxury that rarely presents itself. “We’ll work a little differently than usual this weekend, focusing only on the race set-up, and then we’ll see,” he said. “I think the top five could be within reach, but obviously we’ll have to see how the race unfolds.”

Antonelli acknowledged that his unusual Saturday schedule could also benefit team-mate George Russell. Slipstreaming is critical at Monza, and a driver with nothing to lose in qualifying is well placed to act as a tow. “It could happen,” Antonelli said. “It’s a conversation we’ll also have internally so that we’re ready in case that situation arises. But it’s not a given.”

On the broader decision to take the penalty now, Antonelli was pragmatic. “It’s not ideal to take a penalty at your home grand prix, especially one this big. But ultimately, as a team, we’re looking at the championship, and this is definitely one of the best tracks to do it. So it’s better to change everything now and hopefully avoid any problems in the future. I think that will allow me to enjoy it even more, to drive with less pressure.”