Warning ahead of the Monza home race: these are the rivals Kimi Antonelli is expecting

Formula 1 World Championship leader Kimi Antonelli still has a score to settle with Monza. Last year, things did not go to plan for the Mercedes star on the high-speed circuit. He spun off the track during the second free practice session and, starting from sixth on the grid, could only manage ninth place in the race. Nor did his first FP1 session, which took place the year before at the Royal Park, go to plan at all. Antonelli ended up in the gravel trap after just a few kilometres.

Consequently, he is determined to make amends this time and shine in front of his home crowd. The omens are very different from those in 2025: whilst last year he arrived at Monza following a disappointing race at Zandvoort, this time he travelled there as the championship leader. At Zandvoort this time, he managed to finish in second place and thus secure a podium finish.

However, a particularly tough challenge awaits him. This is because Antonelli will be fitted with a new power unit for the 13th World Championship round in Italy, which exceeds the permitted quota. As a result, he’ll have to fight his way up from the back of the field. The 20-year-old says: “It feels very special to be here as the championship leader – definitely quite different from last year. I’m really looking forward to this weekend, even though I’ll be starting well off the front, but it’s also a great opportunity that lies ahead of us. I think I’ll be able to enjoy it much more than last year, and I’m looking forward to a good race.”

And Antonelli emphasises: “The fact that I’ll be starting at the back because of the penalty takes some of the pressure off, even though I’d obviously prefer to start from pole. But I’m going into the weekend feeling a bit more relaxed, and I can enjoy the riding itself more. It also gives me the chance to work on a few other things in free practice. That’s why I’m expecting a particularly interesting race weekend here.”

Looking at the competition, the driver from Bologna says: “It’s certainly a track that could suit us well. But we’ve seen how strong McLaren have been in the last two races. Ferrari will certainly be right up there too, especially thanks to the new engine they’ll have here. Our car is strong, even though we haven’t had any upgrades since Canada. I think it could be a good circuit for us. But we mustn’t forget that Ferrari, McLaren and perhaps Red Bull Racing can and will be strong here.”

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The six-time Grand Prix winner, who heads into the showdown with a 59-point championship lead over his team-mate George Russell and his predecessor Lewis Hamilton, also reveals: “I’ll have a special helmet design here, which I’ll be unveiling to the public tonight. I’ve designed it with a special friend, and it’s going to be really cool.”