Antonelli faces Monumental challenge at new Madring circuit

MADRID, Sept 9 : Kimi Antonelli is Formula One's man of the moment but Mercedes' 20-year-old championship leader faces a Monumental challenge in Spain this weekend, along with all his rivals.

Fresh from becoming the first Italian since 1966 to win his home race at Monza, Antonelli will be entering new territory when the Spanish capital's Madring makes its grand prix debut with a signature 'La Monumental' banked curve.

The second race in Spain this year, after Barcelona's Catalunya Grand Prix, presents the first new circuit on the calendar since Las Vegas three years ago and is the last round of the regular European season. It is one where the pecking order has yet to be established and drivers have only simulator data to work with.

La Monumental is a 550m-long high-speed 270 degree curve with a crest on the exit meaning drivers momentarily take it blind as they look up at the sky.

Mercedes, winners of nine of the first 13 races, are sure to be in the mix but can expect a tougher fight than Monza where they finished one-two with Antonelli now 66 points clear of teammate George Russell.

FERRARI FILMED AT THE TRACK IN JULY

Antonelli can still put the equivalent of three race wins between him and Russell, adding new clues to the guessing game of where he might win the title, while the Briton will be chasing a first win since Austria in June to prevent his hopes from withering further.

McLaren, who won in the Netherlands and Hungary with reigning world champion Lando Norris and have Oscar Piastri hungry to open his account, could be the main rivals.

"The circuit characteristics are much closer to somewhere like Budapest or Zandvoort. We are therefore expecting a very close-fought weekend," said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff.    

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