Andrea Kimi Antonelli expects Monza’s Ascari chicane to be even more challenging and enjoyable with the 2026 Formula 1 cars, describing the high-speed section as his favourite part of the Italian Grand Prix circuit. The Mercedes driver believes the increased power available under acceleration will make an already demanding corner even harder to master.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli arrives at his home Grand Prix as the championship leader, although his weekend will be shaped by a major grid penalty. The Mercedes driver is expected to concentrate heavily on race pace throughout the three practice sessions because he already knows he will have to start from the back after taking a completely new Power Unit.
Kimi Antonelli prepares for Monza grid penalty
Andrea Kimi Antonelli has already explained that the Italian Grand Prix will not be his final grid penalty of the season. Mercedes is expected to take another five-place drop later in the year when the team introduces its ADUO-equipped Power Unit, with the internal combustion engine likely to be the component upgraded to deliver the performance benefit.
The championship leader has therefore been preparing for a recovery-focused weekend at Monza. Andrea Kimi Antonelli has already said that a top-five finish could still be within reach from the back of the grid, with Mercedes planning to use practice primarily to optimise its race set-up.
There is also considerable interest in how the 2026 cars will perform at Monza, where energy management is expected to be particularly demanding. There are very few major opportunities to recharge the battery around the lap, with the Prima Variante and Variante della Roggia among the key braking zones available for energy recovery.
Kimi Antonelli explains why Ascari is his favourite Monza corner
Despite those challenges, Andrea Kimi Antonelli expects the characteristics of the 2026 Formula 1 cars to make his favourite part of the Temple of Speed even more enjoyable.
“For me, the most beautiful corner of all is Ascari, because it’s very fast but not easy, as you also have to position the car well,” Andrea Kimi Antonelli said. “Above all, with the changes they already made in 2024, the kerb on the right is quite slippery, so the car is always moving around a little, and especially this year, with all the power we have under acceleration, it will be a difficult corner and very challenging.”
Ascari has always demanded precision because the driver must carry significant speed while positioning the car accurately through the sequence. The changes made to the circuit in 2024 have added another variable, with the right-hand kerb offering less grip and making the car more unsettled through the section.
2026 F1 power adds another challenge through Ascari
For Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the defining difference this year will be the amount of power available as the drivers accelerate out of the complex. That additional demand will combine with the slippery kerb and the need for precise car placement, turning Ascari into an even greater test.
The Mercedes driver has already highlighted how unusual the energy demands of Monza are with the new regulations, with Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Italian Grand Prix preparations focused heavily on adapting to the characteristics of the 2026 car.
Although his grid penalty means much of the weekend will revolve around maximising race performance, Ascari should still provide Andrea Kimi Antonelli with one of the highlights of his home Grand Prix. For the championship leader, the combination of speed, precision and the extra challenge created by the 2026 cars only makes his favourite Monza corner more appealing.
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