Andrea Kimi Antonelli says he is beginning to play a more active role in Mercedes’ car development, as the Silver Arrows prepare to introduce a significant upgrade package in Canada while keeping a close eye on the progress of Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull.
Mercedes believes its rivals will continue to close the gap and is determined to stay ahead through aggressive development. A substantial package of updates is set to debut in Montreal, but work at Brackley is already focused on the next steps. Antonelli has become increasingly involved in that process, revealing that he has already shared feedback for future upgrades in an effort to build even greater confidence in the W17.
According to the Italian driver, Mercedes must make the most of its current advantage, particularly given the major progress shown by McLaren and Red Bull, while he also believes Ferrari may not have revealed its full potential in Miami.
Antonelli becomes more involved in Mercedes development
Antonelli is preparing to race a significantly updated Mercedes in Canada, with several new components arriving for the weekend.
“It’s quite a big package,” the young Italian explained. “The numbers tell us how much faster we should be, but until we actually put the updates on track, we’ll never truly know how much lap time they will really give us. I tested the package in the simulator and it seems to be working well, but we’ll get a clearer picture on track in terms of how it behaves and whether it changes the car’s balance. In any case, I’m confident, because the team is working really well, there’s a fantastic atmosphere, and the dynamic inside the group is excellent. I’m sure we’re moving in the right direction.”
With any upgrade package, there is always the possibility that the car could move away from a driver’s preferred characteristics. That is why Antonelli believes his growing experience is allowing him to contribute more meaningfully to development decisions.
“I’m starting to give more input, mainly for future upgrades,” he said. “In Miami, I had quite a long conversation with a couple of engineers who are also working on the future development of the car, and I gave my small indication about what I feel could give me even more confidence in the car.”
“With a year of experience behind you, it’s nice that the team has even more trust in you and that this kind of dynamic starts to develop, where you begin to give your input based on your sensations in the car, which could offer them a different direction or perspective for development. So yes, I’m starting to share my thoughts in that area as well.”
Antonelli expects Ferrari and rivals to close the gap
Antonelli is not only looking at Mercedes’ own progress, but also closely monitoring rival teams, including Ferrari.
“I’m definitely aware that some teams are going to get closer,” he said. “McLaren and Red Bull made a huge step forward in Miami, while in my opinion that race wasn’t representative for Ferrari, because the conditions were rather unusual. We’ll understand more this weekend about how their upgrade package performs.”
“In any case, I’m sure the gaps are shrinking. McLaren are the reigning champions, while Ferrari started well and seem to understand the car very well, especially considering the number of upgrades they’re bringing. Teams also copy each other, so it’s normal that performance levels will eventually converge more and more. That’s exactly why it’s incredibly important to make the most of this part of the season, where we still have a bit of an advantage over the others.”
Antonelli also highlighted the relentless pace of development in modern Formula 1.
“This year is also a battle of upgrades, because every weekend you learn so much about the car that back in the wind tunnel you keep trying different things and continue finding more downforce. It won’t simply be a race to see who brings the most upgrades, but who brings developments that are actually effective and genuinely work.”
“We’ll need to keep pushing in that area too, because it’s possible that by mid-season the gaps will be tiny, just like last year. That’s why it’s so important to make the most of this phase.”
Antonelli, like Mercedes itself, has no intention of becoming complacent. Recent Formula 1 history has shown that a championship which appears settled at the start of summer can look very different by the time autumn arrives.
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