Kimi Antonelli helped Russell in Italian Grand Prix qualifying
Formula 1 championship leader Kimi Antonelli helped his Mercedes teammate George Russell secure a place on the front row of the grid during qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. The Italian driver himself posted the seventh-best result but is set to start from the back of the pack due to engine-related penalties.
Helping a teammate
Antonelli gave Russell an aerodynamic slipstream, which can provide a significant advantage at Monza, the fastest circuit on the calendar. According to Channel NewsAsia, the Mercedes driver fulfilled the team’s request and tried to help his teammate as much as possible.
Antonelli told Sky Sports that because of the penalty, he had to be a good teammate and was pleased that the team tactics worked.
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Qualifying results
Russell qualified second. Alpine driver Pierre Gasly took pole position. He is not involved in the main title fight but could potentially take points away from the leading contenders.
Antonelli said his plan for the race is to avoid trouble at the first two chicanes, get through traffic as quickly as possible and chase the leaders. The 20-year-old driver has won six races this season and leads Russell, his closest rival in the overall standings, by 59 points. He became the first Italian in 73 years to arrive at Monza as the championship leader.
