Formula One leader Antonelli to take grid drop at Monza home race

Formula One championship leader Kimi Antonelli will take at least a 10-place grid penalty for next month’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza after Mercedes confirmed an engine change, team boss Toto Wolff said. Antonelli, who is 59 points clear of teammate George Russell and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, finished second in Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix behind McLaren’s Lando Norris. Monza will be his first home race of the season and comes after his 20th birthday next week. The size of the grid drop depends on how many power-unit components are replaced, but Wolff indicated the change would be significant. He said Monza is the best track to take the penalty, and noted that an updated engine should boost performance despite starting at the back.