Former IndyCar Series driver and Formula 1 pundit James Hinchcliffe has questioned why Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff would consult Kimi Antonelli's father over F1 power unit penalties.
Antonelli currently leads the drivers' championship with 219 points, holding a 50-point lead over second-placed Lewis Hamilton following six race victories in the opening half of the season. Antonelli's team-mate George Russell sits a further nine points behind Hamilton in third.
However, looking ahead to the final 12 rounds of the year, Mercedes is preparing for tactical grid drops. Speaking ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix on the F1 Nation podcast, host Tom Clarkson mentioned the comments made by Wolff during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend.
Wolff indicated that Mercedes will likely take engine penalties in the second half of the year and suggested taking them at the Italian Grand Prix, which is Antonelli's home race, could relieve pressure on the 19-year-old by placing him further back on the grid. But Wolff added that he would be discussing this with Antonelli's father, Marco.
Toto Wolff, Mercedes

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