Despite the fact that he will start Sunday's race from the back of the grid, local hero Kimi Antonelli promises "full attack".

What a difference a year - or two - makes.

In 2024 Antonelli took part in FP1 here, thereby making his debut. Having set the fastest lap of the opening stage of the session, the teenager subsequently went off into the barriers.

There was no condemnation from Toto Wolff however, instead the Austrian was delighted that his protege had delivered maximum attack.

A year later, Wolff wasn't quite so impressed, describing Antonelli's performance, which came in the midst of a slump for the youngster, as "underwhelming".

Leading the world championship, one might have expected 2026 to be an altogether different story, however a new engine package means the Mercedes driver will start Sunday's race from the back of the grid.

Nonetheless, Antonelli, who turned 20 following the Dutch Grand Prix, offers hope to his countrymen this weekend.

"Given that I'm starting last, it's going to be full attack," he told reporters at the Autodromo Nazionale. "Obviously, I'll still use my head. It's not like I'm going to arrive at the first braking zone on Sunday and brake as if it were qualifying, otherwise I'd cause a crash," he added.

"I don't want to jinx myself, but I've got nothing to lose," he explained. "The goal is to recover as many points as possible while using my head, but the mindset will be to attack as much as possible and try to gain as many positions as I can.

"It's not ideal to take a penalty at your home grand prix, especially one this big," he admitted. "But ultimately, as a team, we're looking at the championship, and this is definitely one of the best tracks to do it.

"It's better to change everything now and hopefully avoid any problems in the future. I think that will allow me to enjoy it even more, to drive with less pressure, and I think that's a positive thing.

"We'll work a little differently than usual this weekend, focusing only on the race set-up, and then we'll see. I think the top five could be within reach, but obviously we'll have to see how the race unfolds."

The Weather Gods are unlikely to assist the youngster with a sudden downpour, indeed the weekend has been declared a heat hazard with highs of 33 degrees expected during Sunday's race.

With his starting position already decided, Antonelli and his team are free to focus on the Italian's race set-up. However, with teammate George Russell set to take on a new engine package at one of the forthcoming races, the world championship leader could be used in qualifying in a bid to assist the Briton with a tow.

"It could happen," he acknowledged. "It's a conversation we'll also have internally so that we're ready in case that situation arises. But it's not a given.

"Obviously, I'll talk about it with the team and then we'll see how things go," he added. "But I do think it could happen."