Former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard has urged Mercedes to consider changing George Russell's power unit at this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has already confirmed that championship leader Kimi Antonelli will take a grid penalty at Monza, with a full engine change to take place.
This will see engine components outside of the Italian's legal pool fitted to his W17, while Russell is also on the cusp of needing to take a grid penalty.
The British driver is on his last legal exhaust, internal combustion engine, turbocharger, energy store and power control electronics unit, meaning a grid drop is effectively inevitable unless he can get through the rest of the season without needing a new component.
Monza is a venue where teams often choose to serve a grid penalty and fit new engine parts, due to the opportunities it offers to overtake and recover positions.
With its strong power unit, Antonelli is expected to make up good ground even from the back of the grid, although Mercedes' customer teams, particularly McLaren, are catching up.
With the upcoming races in Madrid and Baku both being street venues, taking a grid penalty would be challenging, making Coulthard wonder if the Silver Arrows should also fit new parts to Russell's car this weekend.
Discussing Russell also likely needing to take a grid penalty soon, Coulthard told the Up to Speed podcast: "Yeah, I think you've just got to cut a stick when you see it.
"I don't know where that expression comes from, but you have to take a penalty. Monza, as we've said, let's say, offers more potential.
"They have a good power unit deployment understanding. That was what gave them such an advantage over the other Mercedes teams like McLaren and Williams and Alpine at the beginning of the year.
"I think that is where McLaren have made some of the biggest strides, understanding how to use the power unit, and we will find out very soon who comes out victorious from that particular race."
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