Russell starts second as Antonelli faces Monza setback
George Russell will start second at the Italian Grand Prix as he looks to close the gap in the Formula 1 title race, while Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli faces a major setback after being relegated to the back of the grid.
Pierre Gasly produced a surprise qualifying performance on Saturday to claim his maiden F1 pole position, edging Russell to second at Monza.
Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton will start third and fourth respectively, giving the home team a strong presence on the second row in front of a passionate crowd of tifosi.
Russell currently sits second in the championship standings, level on points with Hamilton and 59 points behind Antonelli, who is bidding to become the youngest world champion in F1 history.
Antonelli’s hopes of extending his championship lead suffered a blow after Mercedes opted to replace his power unit as a precaution against potential reliability issues later in the season. The resulting grid penalty sends the 20-year-old to the back of the field.
Meanwhile, McLaren’s Lando Norris will start eighth as he targets a third consecutive victory. Norris won the Hungarian and Dutch Grands Prix and has reduced Antonelli’s championship advantage to 83 points.
The Italian Grand Prix therefore presents Russell with a significant opportunity to gain ground on his Mercedes teammate, while the Ferrari pair and Gasly add further pressure at the front.
with inputs from PTI
