Promising Start for Mercedes as Antonelli, Russell Praise W16

Mercedes F1’s Antonelli and Russell are encouraged by the W16’s early performance, highlighting progress while acknowledging room for further improvements.

Kimi Antonelli expressed satisfaction with a “positive” pre-season test in Bahrain before making his Formula 1 debut. The Italian admitted he was eagerly anticipating his first race with Mercedes F1 at the Australian Grand Prix.

The 18-year-old gained a day and a half of experience behind the wheel of the W16 and spoke positively about the test after completing his final laps on Friday morning, while acknowledging there were still areas for improvement.

“It was great. It was nice to be back for official testing, and I felt pretty good in the car. Obviously, there is still work to do to understand the car and the tyres, but overall, I think we did a good job.”

“Last night, I did a full race simulation in one go, and it was quite enjoyable, going through all the pit stops and everything. I think it was a positive test; as I said, there is still work to do, but it was a good start, and I’m really looking forward to Melbourne.”

Asked about his excitement ahead of his first F1 weekend and the preparation he will undertake in the next two weeks, Antonelli responded: “It’s a really special moment – it still feels surreal that the next time we hit the track, it will be in Melbourne.”

“But of course, I’m super excited – it’s a great opportunity. I’ll spend a few more days at the factory to prepare for Melbourne and all the upcoming races, as it will be a back-to-back with China. But yes, I’m really looking forward to it and can’t wait to see what we can achieve.”

George Russell wraps up testing, acknowledges McLaren’s pace

George Russell completed the afternoon session behind the wheel of the W16. According to him, the car is performing well, but he admits McLaren remains ahead.

“We’ve had three productive days here in Bahrain during pre-season testing. The teams at Brackley, Brixworth, and here at the track have done an excellent job preparing us for testing and covering a significant number of laps. We had three trouble-free days, and the car is working well.”

“It’s no surprise to see some of our rivals, particularly McLaren, looking strong. We have gathered valuable data and insights that give us the opportunity to find new improvements before Melbourne. Kimi and I will be at the factory next week, working in the simulator, and everyone will be pushing hard to ensure we give our best in Australia. I can’t wait to get started!”