Antonelli Suffers at Mercedes: Car Errors Affect Young Driver

Mercedes Acknowledges Mistakes and Antonelli Pays the Price

The Mercedes team has publicly admitted to having made mistakes in the development of its Formula 1 car. According to technical director James Allison, the difficulties of the young Italian driver Kimi Antonelli are a direct consequence of these failures. Antonelli, 18 years old, achieved his first podium in F1 by finishing third in Canada in June. However, since then, he has not managed to score any more points. The Italian has experienced two retirements since Montreal, in addition to a 17th place in a sprint race in Belgium last Saturday and a 16th in Sunday’s main Grand Prix. The driver, who achieved a sprint pole in Miami and is the youngest race leader in the history of the sport, has had four retirements in the last seven races.

I think he is, like the rest of us, very fed up with a series of results that are far below what we were collectively achieving at the beginning of the year.

James Allison, Technical Director of Mercedes

Allison added that the team has taken wrong steps with the car, which has affected its competitiveness and that Antonelli is paying the price, as is George Russell. Mercedes is in third place in the general classification, 28 points behind Ferrari, which is in second place. Russell has been on the podium five times and is in fourth place overall, with 157 points, compared to Antonelli’s 63.

• Antonelli admits his form has taken a backward step
• Mercedes calls a meeting after the Belgian GP

Lewis Hamilton, who left his seat to Antonelli when he moved to Ferrari, showed his support for the young driver. After Saturday’s qualifying in Spa, Hamilton said that Antonelli told him to keep his head up and that it’s normal to have bad weekends. Hamilton said he couldn’t imagine what the rookie was going through.