Mercedes F1 left Imola reeling after a dismal Grand Prix, marked by poor pace, tyre issues and Antonelli’s first Formula 1 retirement.
Mercedes left Imola reeling after a dismal Grand Prix, marked by poor pace, tyre issues and Antonelli’s first Formula 1 retirement.
Mercedes F1 leaves Imola with only six points, courtesy of George Russell’s seventh-place finish, while Andrea Kimi Antonelli retired.
Bradley Lord, representing the team and acting as team principal in Toto Wolff’s absence this weekend, admits the race was more than challenging.
“This was undoubtedly our most difficult Grand Prix of the season so far. Finishing seventh and recording a retirement falls well short of the standards we have set for ourselves as a team,” said Lord.
“From the opening laps, George reported a lack of rear stability and struggled to manage rear tyre temperatures, which accelerated degradation. This forced us into an early stop and a two-stop strategy.”
“He made his second stop under the VSC triggered by Esteban’s retirement, and was battling back into the points when the safety car was deployed following Kimi’s retirement. It was clear we would stay out during that period, and George wrestled with the car all the way to the chequered flag. He couldn’t hold off Lewis’s Ferrari on fresher tyres but then managed to maintain his position until the end.”
The strategy was better for Antonelli, who was later unlucky with a mechanical issue: “For Kimi, we opted for an alternate strategy, starting on hard tyres and gaining a position off the line.”
“He was running strongly when we took advantage of the VSC to switch to mediums and try to take them to the finish. Kimi managed the stint well but then encountered a throttle issue that ultimately brought the car to a halt on lap 45 – his first retirement in F1.”
“Overall, performance at Imola was disappointing. While George qualified well, we couldn’t compete with the cars around us and suffered a significant pace deficit due to overheating in the rear tyres. Our focus over the coming days is to understand why we experienced such a drop-off, and then make the most of the opportunity to bounce back next weekend in Monaco.”
Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ Trackside Engineering Director, provided more detail on the Italian’s retirement: “Sunday was a tough day for the team and the drivers. We weren’t quick enough to fight at the front and, on top of that, we suffered a reliability issue.”
“We’re working to understand the problems on Kimi’s car, but the throttle pedal was gradually degrading and the system eventually shut down as a safety precaution. Thankfully, this issue shouldn’t be too difficult to resolve in time for Monaco.”
The engineer also expressed concern about the W16’s pace in hot conditions: “Our biggest concern is the pace. The race was hot, and we overworked the rear tyres.”
“As a result, we suffered from poor grip and consistent degradation. We need to bounce back quickly, as many hot races are coming and we can’t keep performing at this level. We have a few days to regroup before Monaco, but we’ll be working hard to try to improve.”
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