Antonelli to start from back at Monza after Mercedes power unit change
NXTbets Pro | Published On: August 25, 2026
Antonelli penalty at Monza
Mercedes confirmed Kimi Antonelli will start from the back of the grid at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza after taking a full power unit change, a move that pushes him beyond his seasonal allowance of four power units. The decision leaves Antonelli with a fresh engine for his home race, but no relief from the penalty that comes with it. Mercedes said Monza was the best place to serve the penalty on performance grounds, and the call lines up with what Bradley Lord suggested last month as the likely plan. Antonelli was already at the limit with his V6 and exhaust system, so the team had little room left to manage the package without taking a bigger hit somewhere else. The change also reflects how tightly Mercedes has had to balance reliability and performance as the season has moved into its second half.
Mercedes focuses on championship
Toto Wolff said Mercedes is focused on the championship rather than the optics of Antonelli taking the penalty at Monza. That approach fits a season in which the team has already dealt with power unit-related DNFs in Barcelona and Silverstone. Both Antonelli and George Russell have also suffered one mechanical retirement this season, which has made component management a central part of Mercedes’ planning. The team expected both drivers to go over their component limits in the second half of the season, so the Antonelli decision fits a broader strategy instead of a one-off reaction to a single race weekend. Monza gives Mercedes a place to absorb the penalty at a track where the team believes the performance cost is the least damaging. It also allows the team to move forward with clearer choices on how to handle the rest of its power unit pool. Mercedes has treated the matter as a championship issue first, and a public-relations issue second.
Russell penalty remains open
Mercedes has not yet decided where George Russell will serve his own engine penalty later in the 2026 season, and Baku is one possible option. That leaves another major call hanging over the team as it works through its component plan for the rest of the year. Antonelli led Russell by 59 points after the Dutch Grand Prix, a margin that shows how the two drivers’ seasons have moved in different directions even as they face the same power unit pressure. Mercedes now has one driver taking the hit at Monza and another waiting for his turn later. The team has already made clear that both drivers are running close to the limit, and the remaining schedule will force more decisions if component use keeps climbing. For Mercedes, the challenge is simple. It has to protect its championship position while managing the penalties that come with pushing the machinery hard enough to stay in the fight.
