Toto Wolff confirmed that Kimi Antonelli, the home hero, will start from the back of the pack at the Italian GP of Formula 1 due to a penalty for an engine change.
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Racing in front of the home crowd, the championship leader already goes into the weekend knowing about the major setback of the penalty. However, the German team boss explained that Monza is the right circuit for the decision due to its easy overtaking nature.
Before the start of the 13th round of the F1 calendar, the Austrian pointed out that sometimes, thinking about winning the championship, a cost must be paid. “For us, Monza starts with a challenge. Kimi will suffer a penalty related to the power unit and will start from the back of the grid. It is disappointing for him and for the fans who want to see him fighting for the top positions in his home race, but our sport does not reward sentimentality,” he explained.
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“When decisions are made that benefit the championship campaign, sometimes a short-term price is paid. The goal now is clear: to recover as many positions as possible and maximize the points. On the other side of the garage, George comes in strong after Zandvoort and will seek to firmly place himself in the fight right at the start of the weekend,” he continued.
“Monza is a track with little energy recovery; most of the lap demands the maximum from the power unit and there are not many opportunities to charge the battery. With the current regulations, this creates compromise situations that will need to be managed carefully. It is an interesting challenge and will likely result in an exciting weekend,” he concluded.
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