Kimi Antonelli believes Formula 1’s 2026 cars will be less problematic at Monza than initially feared, despite the Italian circuit representing one of the toughest tests of the new power unit regulations. The Mercedes driver admits severe superclipping could have made the Italian Grand Prix “a bit of a disaster”, but changes to energy harvesting limits have significantly reduced the problem.
Kimi Antonelli will be one of the leading figures of the 2026 Italian Grand Prix weekend. The Mercedes driver is not simply arriving for his home race and preparing to meet the Italian fans: he reaches Monza as the clear leader of the Formula 1 World Championship after a remarkable first half of the season in which he claimed six victories, including five in succession.
Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes face a unique Monza power unit test
Alongside Kimi Antonelli’s remarkable maturity and impressive driving ability, which the 20-year-old from Bologna has used to manage his championship campaign so effectively, Mercedes also deserves significant credit for the performance of the W17.
The German manufacturer has interpreted the new Formula 1 regulations extremely well, particularly on the power unit side, where its package has proved exceptionally effective in managing the limited electrical energy available under the 2026 rules.
That issue is particularly important at Monza. The Temple of Speed is one of the fastest circuits on the calendar, with long full-throttle sections and relatively limited opportunities to recover electrical energy through braking.
Superclipping emerges as major concern for 2026 Italian GP
The complexity of energy management around Monza has therefore become one of the most discussed technical subjects ahead of the Italian Grand Prix.
There has been considerable uncertainty over exactly how the new generation of Formula 1 cars will behave on such an energy-intensive circuit. In particular, concerns have surrounded superclipping, one of the most distinctive consequences of the 2026 power unit regulations.
Superclipping can result in a car losing performance while travelling at full throttle on a straight as the electrical system reaches the limits of its available deployment and energy recovery strategy. At circuits where harvesting opportunities are limited, the effect can become particularly noticeable and has raised concerns over both lap-time performance and the spectacle.
After the opening races of the season generated significant criticism, the FIA moved to reduce the permitted energy harvesting levels in qualifying. The objective was to limit excessive superclipping and prevent drivers from having to sacrifice too much speed during sections of what should otherwise be an all-out qualifying lap.
Kimi Antonelli says Monza is better than expected in Mercedes simulator
Kimi Antonelli discussed the issue during an event for FIA-accredited Italian media, also attended by Formula1.it. Asked how driving at Monza will change under the new regulatory framework, the Mercedes driver explained that his simulator experience had been more encouraging than expected.
“I tried it in the simulator and it’s not ideal, but it’s not that terrible either. I think Australia was the worst race in terms of superclipping and will remain the worst of the whole year.”
According to Kimi Antonelli, the reduction in the amount of energy drivers are permitted to recover during a lap has significantly reduced the severity of the issue.
“Reducing the amount of megajoules you can recharge during the lap has meant there is much less superclipping. There will be more time on the straights when we will use only the internal combustion engine instead of the battery.”
That should prevent the sudden and visually obvious loss of speed that characterised some of the more extreme examples earlier in the season.
“So we won’t see the sharp drop in speed that is typical of superclipping; instead, the speed will remain constant. From that point of view it is much better, otherwise it would have been a bit of a disaster.”
Monza remains the toughest circuit for the 2026 power unit
Despite his more positive assessment, Kimi Antonelli still expects Monza to represent the most demanding circuit of the season for power unit energy management.
The combination of long straights, extended full-throttle running and fewer major braking events naturally makes recovering electrical energy more difficult than at circuits with a greater number of slower corners. Drivers and engineers will therefore have to carefully balance electrical deployment with the performance available from the internal combustion engine.
Even so, Kimi Antonelli was pleasantly surprised by how the W17 behaved when he experienced the Monza configuration in the Mercedes simulator.
“To drive, it is much better than I expected, even though it is the worst track of all for the power unit.”
For Mercedes, that assessment offers some encouragement before one of the most technically revealing weekends of the 2026 season. Monza may still expose the limitations of Formula 1’s new energy-heavy power units more clearly than almost any other circuit, but the changes introduced during the year appear to have reduced the risk of the dramatic superclipping that initially caused concern.
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