Antonelli announces engine penalty for Monza.

      Championship leader Kimi Antonelli has announced that he will be using a new Mercedes engine at Monza, which will result in a grid penalty for his home race. The Italian driver has already used up his allocation of penalty-free engines, so the extent of the penalty will depend on how many components of the power unit Mercedes replaces.

      "The penalty for the new engine will be applied in Monza," Antonelli stated at Zandvoort. "We decided on this because it’s one of the tracks where overtaking is easier. I understand it’s my home race, but ultimately, my focus is on the championship."

      "I must evaluate where I have the best opportunity to gain positions and achieve a good result. Monza is definitely at the top of that list." Antonelli leads Lewis Hamilton by 50 points and emphasizes that the title battle now takes precedence over avoiding a penalty in front of the Italian fans.

      The timing is also significant due to rumors in the paddock that Mercedes may debut an ADUO power unit upgrade at Monza. Antonelli mentioned that Mercedes is only bringing a minor chassis update to Zandvoort, with a more comprehensive development package expected later.

      "We’re not introducing a major update from Canada, while McLaren and Ferrari have made considerable advancements," he explained. "In Holland, we’re bringing a small update, but it’s really minimal and shouldn’t provide us with a significant edge."

      "The main package will be introduced in a few races, and we hope to regain the advantage we had at the beginning of the year." Despite the impending penalty, Antonelli reiterated his long-term commitment to Mercedes.

      "Mercedes feels like family to me," he asserted. "I envision my future here for a long time, and it would be amazing to become a symbol of this team, much like Max is for Red Bull. I aspire to win with Mercedes."