Kimi Antonelli is prepared to lend a hand to his Mercedes teammate and title contender George Russell during qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix, a race in which the championship leader will be forced to start from the back of the grid because of an engine‑related penalty. The young Italian, racing on his home circuit at Monza, knows that the comfortable points cushion he enjoys will almost certainly be eroded this weekend.
Mercedes have elected to take a grid‑penalty for Antonelli after exceeding the allotted number of power‑unit components, a consequence of the reliability problems that plagued the team earlier in the season. At present Russell and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc sit 59 points behind Antonelli, while McLaren’s Lando Norris – who has won the last two Grands Prix – trails by 83 points.
Because Antonelli is already destined to line up at the rear of the pack regardless of his Saturday performance, he is willing to help Russell chase pole position by providing a slipstream, or "tow", on the sport’s fastest circuit. The extra straight‑line speed could shave crucial tenths off Russell’s lap time and improve his chances of starting at the front.
"It has been discussed with the team," Antonelli said when journalists asked about the tow at Thursday’s Drivers’ Press Conference. "And yes, we have agreed on a few things. So let’s see how the session develops. If the team asks me to do it, I will do it.
Of course I would still love to set the fastest Q3 time and take pole, but I know I’m starting at the back anyway." When asked whether he would do anything to aid the team, Antonelli replied, "If I can do anything to help the team, I will do it." Russell praised Antonelli’s willingness to cooperate, saying it reflected the collaborative culture fostered at Mercedes. The British driver is also slated to take his own grid penalty for excessive engine usage at a later event, possibly at the overtaking‑friendly Baku City Circuit three weeks from now.
"It shows the level of teamwork we have between the two of us and how Toto wants to run the team," Russell explained. "We both came up through the junior programme from the start, so it’s the least we can do for each other. At Zandvoort last week it worked well, and if the roles were reversed the same would have happened.
This week he’s willing to help me in qualifying, which is great – that’s just how we operate as a team. I will take a penalty at some point in the future; I don’t know when or where." While Antonelli’s penalty gives him a rare opportunity to claw back points after falling 59 points behind at the Dutch Grand Prix, Russell stressed that the situation does not alter his personal focus.
"For me it doesn’t change anything because I always concentrate on my own performance," he said. "I look at my limitations and the areas I need to improve. Whether I have a seven‑time world champion as a teammate, a rookie, or no one at all, the job stays the same.
My approach this weekend will be exactly the same." During Friday practice, Russell set the fastest time, while Antonelli, who spent most of the session on long‑run simulations, finished third. Mercedes have dominated the early part of the season, but their advantage has narrowed as Ferrari and now McLaren have begun to close the gap. Russell remains optimistic that Monza’s high‑speed layout will suit the Mercedes W17 more than the recent circuits where McLaren triumphed, yet he acknowledges that the three main rivals will still pose serious threats. "We’ve won two races in the last six, so we can say what we want, but we’ll soon find out," he said.
"There will be tough competition. The momentum is with McLaren right now, Ferrari have upgrades this weekend, and Red Bull have a very strong power unit. I honestly think this weekend it could be any of the top four teams – but I hope it’s us." Reflecting on his last victory in Austria at the end of June, Russell added, "Looking at the past couple of races and how competitive Lando and McLaren have been, it’s fair to say they are the team to beat at the moment. We know we’re a step behind on upgrades, but we hope to get back to being the team to beat in a few races.
For now the fight is between McLaren and Ferrari, who have brought their upgrades this weekend. I think we left Zandvoort with a very positive feeling as a team – a P2, a P3 and a sprint win were probably better than pure car performance." Regarding Mercedes’ chances of securing their first Monza victory since 2018, Russell was cautious but hopeful.
"I don’t know if we can call ourselves favourites, but we probably have a better chance than in the last two races where chassis performance mattered more than power unit. I believe we have the best chassis and that will help us in the upcoming events. We can’t forget Red Bull’s strong engine, and Ferrari’s upgrades will make them strong too.
So it could be a four‑team battle this weekend." The weekend schedule includes an F3 sprint on Saturday morning, followed by the third practice session for the Grand Prix, an F2 sprint, and then qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix. Sunday will feature F3 and F2 feature races, a Porsche Supercup race, and the main Grand Prix itself, with post‑race analysis later in the afternoon. Fans can stream the action live on Sky Sports F1 via the NOW platform, with no long‑term contract required.
The Italian Grand Prix marks Ferrari’s home race, and the historic Monza circuit promises high‑speed drama as the championship battle intensifies.