Milan, 1 Sept. (LaPresse) – “For us, Monza begins with a challenge. Kimi Antonelli will have to serve a penalty for the power unit and will start from the back of the grid. It’s a disappointment for him and for the fans who would like to see him fighting for the top places at his home race, but in our sport there’s no room for sentiment.” These were the words of Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff ahead of the Monza Grand Prix, referring to the World Championship leader’s car, which will be fitted with updates that will force him to start from the back of the grid – rather than just 10 places back, as initially thought. “When decisions are made that benefit the championship battle, sometimes you pay a short-term price,” added Wolff, who believes that “Monza is a circuit that doesn’t allow you to make full use of the engine’s energy; you spend most of the lap pushing the power unit to the limit and don’t have many opportunities to recharge the battery”. “Under the current regulations, this creates trade-offs that will need to be managed carefully. It’s an interesting challenge and one that will likely lead to an exciting weekend,” he added. Looking ahead to the championship, Wolff said: “Monza and Madrid mark the start of an important period for us. The field has narrowed so much that several teams are capable of winning on merit, and the cost of a mistake is much higher. We’ve put ourselves in a strong position in both championships, but no one in our team is under any illusions about how difficult the upcoming races will be.”
F1, Wolff: ‘Antonelli will start from the back of the grid at Monza; there’s no room for sentiment’
Milan, 1 Sept. (LaPresse) – “For us, Monza begins with a challenge. Kimi Antonelli will have to serve a penalty for the power unit and will start from the back of the grid. It’s a disappointment for him and for the fans who would like to see him fighting for the top places at his home race, but in our sport there’s no room for sentiment.” These were the words of Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff ahead of the Monza Grand Prix, referring to the World Championship leader’s car, which will be fitted with updates that will force him to start from the back of the grid – rather than just 10 places back, as initially thought. “When decisions are made that benefit the championship battle, sometimes you pay a short-term price,” added Wolff, who believes that “Monza is a circuit that doesn’t allow you to make full use of the engine’s energy; you spend most of the lap pushing the power unit to the limit and don’t have many opportunities to recharge the battery”. “Under the current regulations, this creates trade-offs that will need to be managed carefully. It’s an interesting challenge and one that will likely lead to an exciting weekend,” he added. Looking ahead to the championship, Wolff said: “Monza and Madrid mark the start of an important period for us. The field has narrowed so much that several teams are capable of winning on merit, and the cost of a mistake is much higher. We’ve put ourselves in a strong position in both championships, but no one in our team is under any illusions about how difficult the upcoming races will be.”