Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin has acknowledged that Kimi Antonelli’s recent performances have been hindered by challenges related to the W16 car, affirming that the young driver will be given more time to adjust to the demands of the Formula 1 championship. Following a disappointing Italian Grand Prix and a series of tough races, the Brackley-based team is focused on enhancing their support to improve Antonelli’s adaptation and performance.
Suspension Changes on the W16 Linked to Driver Difficulties
Earlier in the season, Mercedes introduced a suspension change to the W16 which, while boosting performance on certain tracks, ultimately compromised the car’s overall drivability. Shovlin believes this modification confused the rookie driver and detracted from Antonelli’s ability to consistently perform.
We’re confident [the suspension change] was making the car difficult to drive and it was adding performance at very specific circuits like Montreal, but it was causing more problems than it solved at tracks like Austria, Silverstone.
– Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes trackside engineering director
So that’s definitely something that will have helped both drivers. It was certainly confusing for Kimi and as a young driver, it’s difficult.
– Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes trackside engineering director
Qualifying Challenges and Limited Practice Affect Antonelli’s Consistency
Antonelli began the season strongly but has found it increasingly difficult to maintain that level as competition tightens and the margin for error shrinks. The reduced practice time owing to incidents such as gravel trap excursions during free practice sessions has also impaired his preparation for qualifying rounds.
Qualifying is a pretty cruel and unforgiving session these days,
Shovlin remarked, highlighting the high stakes involved.
And then there were a couple of mistakes where he lost free practice time having ended up in gravel traps,
he added, emphasizing the setback from lost track time.
We just need to work with him to sort of try and get back to that level of comfort that he had in the car,
the Briton said, noting the importance of rebuilding confidence.
Shovlin also described the heightened pressure within the Silver Arrows camp, saying,
There’s a lot more pressure when it’s difficult to get out of Q1 even, very difficult to get out of Q2, and then you’ve got to have tyres left for Q3.
Preparation Issues Before Zandvoort and Recovery Efforts
Mercedes took responsibility for certain obstacles Antonelli faced, particularly in the lead-up to the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, where simulator issues limited his usual preparation. This lack of readiness contributed to an error during the first free practice session, further complicating his weekend.
With Zandvoort, he came in for a simulator session and we had some issues that meant he wasn’t really able to do the prep there. He then makes a mistake in FP1.
I think we need to own a bit of that responsibility and that we couldn’t do the normal prep.
– Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes trackside engineering director
Intensified Training Regimen Aims to Restore Confidence
To counteract earlier difficulties, Mercedes increased the extent of Antonelli’s preparation before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The driver underwent a demanding session to simulate race distances, aiming to make up for lost practice and rebuild his race-readiness.
He was with us last week and did a very big day – doing two or three race distances or equivalent mileage of that, preparing here.
– Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes trackside engineering director
Mercedes Maintains Confidence in Rookie’s Potential
Despite the setbacks, Mercedes remains confident in Antonelli’s potential, citing his early-season performances as proof of his capabilities. The team is committed to refining their approach to his race preparation as they work to help the driver regain his comfort level in the car.
He’s shown us enough in the early part of the season to confirm our expectations that he had the talent to be in F1 and be with Mercedes,
Shovlin said.
We’ve upped the amount of preparation that we’re doing. Recently – we’re trying different things in terms of getting ready for the race weekends, going into these remaining races,
he continued, before emphasizing the ongoing nature of this support:
And we’ll just keep reviewing until we get it right.
– Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes trackside engineering director
Looking Ahead: Support and Adjustments Remain Crucial
Kimi Antonelli’s struggles illustrate the intricate balance between car setup and driver adaptation, especially for a rookie in a highly competitive field. Mercedes’ willingness to acknowledge their part and enhance preparation reflects the seriousness with which they regard his development and their ambitions for the season’s remainder. With further adjustments to both car dynamics and race weekend routines, the team hopes Antonelli can steadily close the gap and fulfill his promising potential.
