Minardi: Antonelli should lead decision on Mercedes power unit penalty. Kimi Antonelli must decide timing of Mercedes grid penalty, says Giancarlo Minardi.

The management of Mercedes’ new power unit and any resulting grid penalty is set to become one of the most delicate issues of the second half of the Formula 1 season. The decision could influence not only the result of a single Grand Prix but also the outcome of the world championship fight.
In an exclusive interview with NewsF1, former team principal Giancarlo Minardi offered a clear view: the choice of the best moment to serve a possible penalty should rest first and foremost with the driver.
Minardi: the decision belongs to Kimi Antonelli

Giancarlo Minardi believes a driver must play a central role in such an important call.
“I believe a decision of this kind should be taken primarily by the driver, together with the team.”
According to Minardi, the man behind the wheel knows the car’s behaviour better than anyone else and is best placed to judge whether the time is right to accept a penalty in exchange for a stronger power unit in the races that follow.

Mercedes strategy heading towards Monza
The issue centres on the introduction of a new Mercedes power unit, which could trigger a grid penalty at one of the remaining rounds. For Minardi there is no universal answer. Much will depend on the state of the championship, the competitiveness of the car and the characteristics of the circuit chosen for the change.
Monza has already been discussed as a possible venue for any penalty, given its overtaking opportunities, and the wider strategic picture around the Italian Grand Prix remains under close scrutiny within the team.
The driver must be involved
Strategic decisions in the paddock are normally shared between drivers, engineers and the technical leadership. Minardi insists, however, that in cases like this the weight of the choice should also fall on the driver concerned.
“The driver is the one who will then have to manage the race and the consequences of the penalty.”
It is a philosophy shaped by decades of experience in motorsport, where dialogue between team and driver has often proved the key to the best possible result.

Looking at the championship, not just one race
Minardi stresses that the evaluation cannot be limited to a single weekend. Accepting a penalty at a circuit that favours recovery can allow a team to race the following events with a fresher and more competitive power unit, improving the chances of scoring heavy points in the title battle.
For that reason the decision must form part of a wider strategy rather than a simple reaction to immediate needs. In modern Formula 1 the management of power units, penalties and technical choices can determine the outcome of an entire season, which is why, in Minardi’s view, the conversation between team and driver remains fundamental when a championship is still alive until the final race.