Toto Wolff is “ruthless” with Kimi Antonelli: “No sentimentality”

Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s home race at Monza will be a comeback race. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff himself announced the expected penalty for replacing certain power unit components just a few days before the weekend at the Autodromo.

“Kimi Antonelli will receive an engine penalty and start from the back of the grid. This decision is disappointing for Kimi and for the fans, who would like to see him battling for the top positions in his home race, but in F1 there’s no room for sentiment, and we have to make this sacrifice with the championship in mind,” Wolff said succinctly.

The Mercedes boss confirmed that the team comes before the drivers, and this will also hold true regarding team orders and the strategies to be adopted during the race. “Monza and Madrid mark the start of an important period for us. On the track, the teams’ performance levels have converged to the point where anyone can win. Making a mistake means paying a heavy price. We’re in a good position in both championships, but the whole team knows that the upcoming races will be difficult,” Wolff said at a press conference.

“The Autodromo is a circuit that demands a lot of energy; you spend most of the lap pushing the powertrain to its limits, and there aren’t many opportunities to recharge the battery. Under the current regulations, this involves trade-offs that will need to be carefully managed. It’s an interesting challenge, and a weekend that could hold several twists and turns,” according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.