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Antonelli to take 10-place grid penalty at Monza

8/25/2026

23 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff confirmed Kimi Antonelli will take a grid penalty at the Italian Grand Prix.
Mercedes will fit a power-unit for Antonelli at Monza, based on data and simulations.
The penalty is at least ten places.
Antonelli leads the championship by 53 points over Lewis Hamilton after finishing fourth in Dutch Sprint.
George Russell won the Dutch Sprint, trails Antonelli by 56 points, and also faces a penalty.

History

Historical Context

In 2004 the FIA mandated that any unscheduled engine change incur a ten-place grid penalty, aiming to curb costly component swaps. The rule, introduced as part of broader cost-control measures that also limited engine usage, was invoked again in 2024 when Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff announced identical ten-place drops for Kimi Antonelli and George Russell at Monza.

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Story summary

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff confirmed Kimi Antonelli will take a grid penalty at the Italian Grand Prix.
Mercedes will fit a power-unit for Antonelli at Monza, based on data and simulations.
The penalty is at least ten places.
Antonelli leads the championship by 53 points over Lewis Hamilton after finishing fourth in Dutch Sprint.
George Russell won the Dutch Sprint, trails Antonelli by 56 points, and also faces a penalty.

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