Mercedes picks the algorithm over the crowd
Toto Wolff had a blunt way of putting it. “With Kimi, we are taking the full thing.”
Kimi Antonelli will serve his engine penalty at the Italian Grand Prix next weekend, which means the Formula 1 championship leader starts his home race from the back of the grid at Monza. Mercedes ran the numbers, Monza came out on top, and nationality never entered the calculation.
“In theory, our calculations say that is the best track to take it,” Wolff said. “Obviously, algorithms don’t take the nationality into consideration, but we’re here to fight for a championship and not get the most PR, so that’s what we’re going to do.”
The call was telegraphed a while ago. Deputy team principal Bradley Lord flagged Monza last month even while acknowledging what it would cost the driver. “There could be one that can be very special for Kimi, but on paper looks like it’s a good place to take an engine penalty,” Lord said at the time.
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Two battery failures, two penalties owed
Both Mercedes drivers burned through their component allocation the same way. George Russell stopped while leading in Canada in May, his battery having suffered heat damage. Antonelli went out in the closing laps in Barcelona a few weeks later, an electrical shutdown traced back to a failure inside the battery.
One retirement each, and both now owe the FIA a grid penalty somewhere in the rounds that remain. Where Russell serves his is still open. “With George, the discussions are ongoing even where to take it,” Wolff said.
A 59-point cushion, 11 races to go
Antonelli can absorb the hit. He left Zandvoort second behind Lando Norris and 59 points clear of Russell, with a maximum of 11 rounds still on the calendar. Giving up most of one Sunday costs less than losing an engine in October.
Monza also happens to be kind to a car buried on the grid. Long straights, heavy slipstreaming, and few corners where a pass is out of the question. Mercedes have been reading that page for weeks.
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