Antonelli confirms penalty for Monza engine.

      Championship leader Kimi Antonelli has announced that he will be utilizing a new Mercedes engine at Monza, which will result in a grid penalty during his home race. The Italian driver has already reached his limit for penalty-free engine components, so the exact grid drop will be determined by how many parts of the power unit Mercedes replaces.

      "The penalty for the new engine will be applied at Monza," Antonelli stated at Zandvoort. "We agreed on this since it’s one of the circuits where overtaking is more feasible. Although it’s my home race, my priority is the championship."

      "I need to evaluate where I have the best chance of gaining positions and achieving a strong result. Monza certainly ranks high on that list."

      Antonelli holds a 50-point lead over Lewis Hamilton and emphasizes that the title battle now takes precedence over any concerns about facing a penalty in front of his home crowd.

      The timing is also significant in light of paddock speculation that Mercedes might introduce an upgraded ADUO power unit at Monza. Antonelli mentioned that Mercedes is only bringing a minor chassis update to Zandvoort, with a more substantial development package planned for the future.

      "We are not introducing a major update from Canada, unlike McLaren and Ferrari who have advanced significantly," he explained. "Here in the Netherlands, we are bringing a small update, but it’s really minimal and shouldn't provide us with a major advantage."

      "The real improvements will come in a few races, and we aim to regain the edge we had at the beginning of the season."

      Despite the penalty, Antonelli reaffirmed his long-term dedication to Mercedes. "Mercedes feels like a family to me," he asserted. "I envision my future here for a long time, and it would be wonderful to become a symbol for this team, similar to what Max does for Red Bull. I want to win with Mercedes."