**Kimi Antonelli Heads to Monza with Championship Lead as McLaren and Ferrari Threaten at Home**
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli arrives at this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza looking to strengthen his grip on the 2026 drivers’ championship on home soil. The 20-year-old has been the class of the field this season, but he faces a resurgent McLaren threat led by Lando Norris, who has won the past two grands prix and is clearly the in-form driver heading into round 13. Monza also represents home territory for Ferrari, though the historic circuit’s long straights may expose weaknesses in the Scuderia’s car characteristics, potentially limiting their challenge in front of the Tifosi.
**Piastri’s Struggles Raise Questions Amid Norris Extension**
The spotlight has also fallen on Oscar Piastri, whose dip in form this season has raised questions about his position at McLaren following Norris’ new contract extension. While the qualifying head-to-head between the two teammates — Norris leading 12-4 — appears lopsided, the actual one-lap pace gap is just 0.08 seconds on average. The real difference lies in race performance, where Norris has been far more convincing, building a 55-point and three-place championship advantage. Piastri’s difficulties appear rooted in technical factors: reduced grip-limited high-speed corners due to engine battery charging, and lower downforce cars that make him less comfortable than Norris in low-grip conditions, forcing him to adapt his natural driving style rather than rely on instinct.
**Stella Defends Piastri as McLaren’s Verstappen Ambitions Loom**
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has defended Piastri, attributing his struggles purely to technical adaptation rather than psychological issues, noting that the top three teams are so closely matched that any sub-optimal performance results in brutal positional losses. Both McLaren and Piastri reject suggestions of internal tension, but the reality remains that McLaren pursued Max Verstappen this summer — a move that would almost certainly have displaced Piastri. While Verstappen’s new Red Bull contract has temporarily closed that door, performance clauses could reopen the possibility if Red Bull continues to struggle. For now, Piastri remains contracted through at least 2027 and will focus on rediscovering his best form.
Ez a cikk a Neural News AI (V1) verziójával készült.
Forrás: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/articles/ckgx017vmjeo.