Jordan's Track Talk

Tag: Mercedes

  • Round 2 – Chinese Grand Prix

    Kimi Antonelli claimed his maiden Formula 1 victory in the Chinese Grand Prix beating Mercedes team mate George Russell as Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton claimed his first Grand Prix podium for the Scuderia after a thrilling intra-team battle.

    Having become the youngest Grand Prix polesitter on Saturday, Antonelli was only briefly headed at the start of Sunday’s race in Shanghai, losing the lead to Hamilton who got the jump on both Mercedes from P3.

    Re-taking the lead before the end of the second lap, the 19 year old Italian was never headed again, retaining first after his only pitstop under the sole Safety Car period early in proceedings.

    Despite a nervous moment after running deep at Turn 14 hairpin with four laps remaining, Antonelli finished 5.5 seconds clear of Russell to become the second youngest winner of a Grand Prix.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Antonelli, P2: Russell, P3: Hamilton, P4: Leclerc, P5: Bearman, P6: Gasly, P7: Lawson, P8: Hadjar, P9: Sainz and P10: Colapinto.

    What a race for Kimi Antonelli! He pretty much had a perfect race, apart from Lewis leading for one lap, but he kept it cool and collected, which is great to see in such a young driver! George Russell was right there with him, which is another great result for Mercedes.

    Hamilton has now achieved his first podium with Ferrari in a Grand Prix race! So well deserved and he got the work done to be rewarded with this. As for his teammate Leclerc P4 for the Monegasque the pair had a nice little battle between them. sometimes it looked a too little close to comfort, but it was actually nice and respectful.

    P5 for Mr Ollie Bearman! What a performance from the Brit! They have had a brilliant start to the season and need to carry on the momentum!

    P6 for Gasly, a lovely finish for the Alpine driver, a great follow up from the weekend in Australia and to make it even better, Colapinto finished 10th meaning he scored his first points for Alpine!

    A disappointing race for the McLaren’s having both drivers did not start due to two separate issues but both looking like electrical issues. A big shame for Piastri as he hasn’t started a Grand Prix this season and is behind and for Norris seemed like he was getting pretty well this weekend so a big shame for the team.

    As for the Red Bull’s a good race for Hadjar, scoring his first points for the team! As for Verstappen he DNF’ed and looked like an engine related problem as he got told to retire the car and managed to bring it back into the pitlane, not the best of starts for the Red Bull team.

    Gabriel Bortoleto and Alex Albon also failed to start the race due to car problems on the way to the grid, not at all what both of their teams would want.

    Now we have a break and the next race being the 27th to 29th March for the Japanese Grand Prix!

  • Round 2 – China Sprint

    George Russell claimed Sprint victory at the Chinese Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, following an early frenetic battle for the lead and surviving a late Safety Car.

    The Mercedes driver started from pole for the 19 lap Sprint on Saturday, an unlike a week ago in Australia, Russell held the lead through the opening corners before conceding the position to a surging Hamilton at Turn 9 – the Ferrari man had started fourth on the grid.

    The pair engaged in a tussle for the lead, swapping positions across the early laps until Russell made the decisive move into Turn 14 hairpin on Lap 15, pulling a gap to both Hamilton and Leclerc.

    Leclerc eventually got the better of his team mate, finishing just 0.6 seconds behind Russell, the leading drivers having made a late pit stop following a Safety Car that was called when Nico Hulkenberg’s stricken Audi needed to be retrieved.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Russell, P2: Leclerc, P3: Hamilton, P4: Norris, P5: Antonelli, P6: Piastri, P7: Lawson, P8: Bearman, P9: Verstappen and P10: Ocon.

    Great result for Russell, he is on a different level at the minute and is being rewarded with points and wins! As for Antonelli, not the best result at all, he had a poor start and then had to serve a 10 second time penalty after a collision with Isack Hadjar on the opening lap.

    A great result for the Ferrari’s, they have had a great start to the season, and they are challenging for wins/podiums. Leclerc finishing P2 and Hamilton P3, a little fight with the Merc’s which is very good to see.

    P4 for Norris, a decent result for him, a shame he couldn’t grab onto a podium. P6 for Piastri, a somewhat decent result, he got overtaken late on in the Sprint by Antonelli.

    No points for Verstappen where he finished P9, not a great race for the Red Bulls at all, especially with Hadjar being crashed into and finishing a horrible 15th.

  • Round 2 – China Sprint Qualifying

    George Russell claimed Sprint Qualifying pole position at the Chinese Grand Prix, as Kimi Antonelli ensured Mercedes locked out the front row in Shanghai.

    Russell and Mercedes dominated proceedings on Friday, the Briton having topped the sole practice session earlier in the day before setting the fastest time in all three segments of Sprint Qualifying.

    The Briton’s 1m 31.520s in SQ3 wit the soft tyre left him nearly three-tenths clear of Antonelli, with the young Italian starting second after being cleared of impeding Lando Norris earlier in proceedings.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Russell, P2: Antonelli, P3: Norris, P4: Hamilton, P5: Piastri, P6: Leclerc, P7: Gasly, P8: Verstappen, P9: Bearman and P10: Hadjar.

    What a result for Mercedes, a great result for the team, it would be the result they wanted going into the weekend, a very strong start to a usy weekend.

    P3 for Norris and P5 for Piastri, it seems like the McLaren’s have found some pace since Australia which was only last week! It will be interesting to see how they do in the races and if they are putting all their pace in the qualifying set up rather than the race…

    P4 for Hamilton! A great result for the Ferrari man, another good results on the books, hopefully he could get a podium as we all know he loves this track! As for Leclerc, an okay result! It’s not his strongest track but he does seem to have a good car underneath him so hopefully some good results this weekend.

    P7 for Gasly! What a result for the Alpine driver, a really good start to the season for the Frenchman. He will be looking to score some big points this weekend.

    P8 for Verstappen, not the best result but still in the top 10, it will be interesting to see how he gets on as his somewhat near the middle of the pack so in somewhat of a danger zone…

    Bearman in the top 10 again! Haas will be liking the results for the Brit and be hoping he will be scoring points this weekend.

    The car’s been feeling amazing – we knew after Melbourne we had a really good car, the engine’s performing really well, and today was a real joy to drive, so [I’m] happy. I’m intrigued to know what the lap times are compared to last year, because it felt really quick and that was pretty cool, very different to Melbourne.
    Russell on pole position.

  • Pourchaire joins Mercedes as development driver

    Mercedes have announced that 2023 Formula 2 Champion, Theo Pourchaire has joined the team as Development Driver.

    The French racer is the newest addition to Mercedes’ driver portfolio, joining the likes of F1 racers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli as well as Third Driver Fred Vesti – who finished as runner-up to Pourchaire in the 2023 F2 Championship.

    After finishing runner-up in the 2020 F3 season and Formula 2 in 2022, Pourchaire secured the 2023 F2 title with ART Grand Prix.
    The 22 year old went on to gain experience in IndyCar in 2024 and served as a reserve for the then-named Alfa Romeo/ Kick Sauber team.

    In his position with the Sauber team he took part in three FP1 sessions across the 2022 and 2023 seasons before leaving the team after graduating from their programme.

    The French driver then progressed to endurance racing, joining Peugeot as a development driver in 2025 and he also made his World Endurance Championship debut in the same year.
    Alongside his Mercedes duties he will also become a full-time Hypercar driver for Team Peugeot TotalEnergies in 2026.

    The news is finally out, I’m incredibly proud and grateful to be joining Mercedes as a Development Driver. I grew up watching this team winning in F1 and now I have the honour to work with them and represent them. A big thank you to everyone involved for giving me this opportunity, I’m going to make the most of it. Let’s start the work in Brackley.
    Pourchaire on the news.

  • Round 1 – Australian Grand Prix

    George Russell claimed victory in the 2026 season-opening Australian Grand Prix, the Brit leading team mate Kimi Antonelli to secure a Mercedes 1-2 ahead of the Ferrari duo in an action-packed event that saw the Silver Arrows make one-stop strategy work to their favour.

    A thrilling start to the race saw Charles Leclerc surge forwards from P4 on the grid, seizing the lead from Russell before the two continued to swap positions over the next few laps.
    Both Mercedes cars subsequently pitted when a Virtual Safety Car was deployed due to Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar pulling off the track – while the Ferrari’s opted to stay out.

    Another VSC phase followed due to the retirement of Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas, during which Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton again remained out on track.
    When the Scuderia’s drivers later made their stops, Russell and Antonelli returned to the front – leading to questions over how each team’s strategy calls would unfold, given that Ferrari looked likely to run until the end of the race while Mercedes may have to stop again.

    Despite their ageing tyres, the Silver Arrows appeared to be staying out until the chequered flag, with the Scuderia pair having not closed in enough to pressure the leading duo into making another stop – and the plan worked, with Russell crossing the line 2.9s ahead of Antonelli to secure a sixth career victory.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Russell, P2: Antonelli, P3: Leclerc, P4: Hamilton, P5: Norris, P6: Verstappen, P7: Bearman, P8: Lindblad, P9: Bortoleto and P10: Gasly.

    What a result for the Mercedes duo! Just how they would’ve wanted to start the season, a flawless drive from Russell, cool, calm and collected! As for Antonelli, he lost a few positions at the start but still done well to bring it back and on the podium.

    A great result for Ferrari! P3 for Leclerc, and P4 for Hamilton, I must say it’s nice to see them back near the top, they had a little fight with the Mercs at the start but they couldn’t bring it to them as much due to the strategy and not pitting. But they are probably the closest to the Mercs at the minute!

    An okay result for the reigning world champion, Norris, didn’t see much of him but kept the Red Bull of Verstappen at bay. But the Brit did well to keep his spot and score some vital points.
    As for his teammate, Oscar Piastri…. how unfortunate he crashed on the way to the grid especially at his home grand prix, not the start to the season he and McLaren would’ve wanted…

    As for Verstappen, what a drive! To come back from 20th, it was damage limitation to score some points and that is what he done. As for his teammate, the Albert Park curse continues for Hadjar, which is so sad as he qualified so well to then be out of the race due to reliability issues is unfortunate. But they way he kept up with the teams and qualified is SO promising for Red Bull.

    Points for Bearman! What a drive from him, kept it out of trouble and started the season strong with Haas scoring valuable points!

    Now our only rookie this year, Arvid Lindblad, what a debut weekend from him! Qualifying in the top 10 and then going on to score points, now that is how you make an entrance!

    Now our next race isn’t too far away… It’s this weekend, and we are heading to Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix!

  • Round 1 – Australia Qualifying

    George Russell sealed pole position for the first race of the season in Australia, beating Kimi Antonelli and Isack Hadjar’s efforts while Max Verstappen suffered an unexpected early exit.

    The Mercedes driver established his spot at the top early on, dominating throughout each segment of qualifying before positing a stunning final lap of 1m 18.518s to establish a major advantage over the rest of the field.

    Antonelli was second to polish off a superb day for the Brackley team, while Hadjar shone on his Red Bull debut to claim third.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Russell, P2: Antonelli, P3: Hadjar, P4: Leclerc, P5: Piastri, P6: Norris, P7: Hamilton, P8: Lawson, P9: Lindblad and P10: Bortoleto.

    What a result for the Mercedes boys! Going into this weekend and the season Russell and Mercedes are the favourites at the minute and this has just proved it! He now needs to go win this race tomorrow and it will be a brilliant start to the season. As for Antonelli, Mercedes done a masterpiece getting his car ready for Q1 but they did it and Antonelli done the driving where it mattered.

    P3 for Hadjar! Just what he would’ve wanted going into his first race with Red Bull. I think it makes it even better as the team has at least one good result where as in the past if Max went out early (which is rare) the teammate wouldn’t do as good. But Hadjar is in the perfect place to score points, and maybe even a podium!
    As for Verstappen, an unfortunate qualifying for him, crashed out of qualifying before even being able to set a lap time! His got a lot of work to do, to just get into the points.

    Good result for Leclerc, P4 for the Monegasque, probably in the right place if you look at the results from the practices. It will be interesting to see how Ferrari do in the race, especially with strategies, can they get on the podium in the first round??
    As for Lewis Hamilton, a decent result in 7th, was just beaten by the McLaren’s but it was very close between himself and Norris!

    As for the McLaren’s 5th and 6th, not a bad result for them at all. They will be hoping to get at least one driver on the podium, so that battle could be interesting…

    P8 for Lawson, a good result for him! And for the team as Lindblad qualified P9 in his first qualifying! Points would be an excellent way to start his rookie season, so let’s see if he gets them!

    Bortoleto rounds out the top 10, a very good result for the Audi team as Hulkenberg is just behind his teammate in 11th, points will be wanted this weekend.

    It was a great day. We knew there was a lot of potential in the car, but until you get to this first Saturday of the season you never know. It really came alive this afternoon, especially when the track temp cooled – we know we sort of tend to favour those conditions. I’m also really happy to have Kimi here next to me as well because it’s been such a hard job from all the team to deliver this car and they did an amazing job in the garage as well today, so all in all a really good day.
    Russell on pole.

  • Westcott to drive for Mercedes in 2026

    Payton Westcott has become the latest driver locked in for the 2026 F1 Academy season, with Mercedes recruiting the American racer for the upcoming campaign.

    The 16 year-old will take on her rookie season in the Mercedes operated by PREMA Racing car, alongside contesting a dual programme in Italian F4.

    Starting out in karting aged six, Westcott progressed to competitive karting six years later, scoring promising results in the United States, Pro Kart Series, California Pro Kart Challenge and finished third in the Challenge of the Americas.

    After being selected for the inaugural cohort of F1 Academy Discover Your Drive karters in the 2024 Champions of the Future Academy Program, Westcott progressed into single-seaters the following year.

    Honing her craft in the Formula Winter Series, Italian F4 Championship, E4 Championship and F4 Saudi Arabian Championship, Westcott achieved a Female Trophy win in the Formula Winter Series alongside becoming the first and only woman to take home a victory in the UAE Trophy Series.

    Making her F1 Academy debut as the Wild Card entry for the Las Vegas season finale, the American delivered a P6 finish on home soil in Race 1.

    I’m excited to join the Mercedes family for the 2026 F1 ACADEMY season. They are an incredible team and one that is driven by passion, determination, and a constant pursuit of excellence. It’s an amazing opportunity to work with such a talented group of people that are commitment to developing young talent. I’m looking forward to learning new tracks throughout the season and continuing to grow my skill set both on and off the circuit. Every race weekend will be a chance to push my limits, refine my driving, and build consistency. I’m motivated to make the most of this journey and take the next big step in my career.
    Westcott on the news.

    We’re very pleased to welcome Payton Westcott to the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team family for the 2026 F1 ACADEMY season. She steps into big shoes by succeeding Doriane, who set a very high benchmark within our programme. We know Payton is a rookie, and we approach the season with realistic ambitions, but this is a challenge she understands and fully embraces. At just 16 years old, Payton has already demonstrated both maturity and strong performance. Her results in the 2025 Italian F4 and Euro 4 championships, as well as her recent performances in the UAE Formula 4 series, underline not only her speed but also her ability to adapt quickly to highly competitive environments. The 2026 season will be intense for Payton. Alongside F1 ACADEMY, she will continue racing in Italian F4 to further develop her race craft, technical understanding, and overall experience. We believe this dual programme will accelerate her progression and provide a solid foundation for her long-term ambitions in single-seater racing. We look forward to supporting her throughout this important next stage of her journey with us.
    Gwen Lagrue, Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team Driver Development Advisor.

  • Vesti confirmed as Mercedes third driver

    Fred Vesti has been confirmed as Mercedes’ Third Driver for the 2026 season, with the Dane admitting that he is “extremely excited” to make the step up after working with the team for the past few years.

    Having first joined the Mercedes Junior Programme back in 2021, Vesti went on to become a reserve driver for the team from 2025 onwards, a role which has seen him participate in FP1 sessions and undertake a vast amount of simulator work.

    During the Silver Arrows’ 2026 launch event – where he joined George Russell and Kimi Antonelli as the W17 car was formally introduced – it was announced that the 24 year old is set to become the third driver for the season ahead, a progression that he is hoping will bring him even closer to joining the grid.

    The news comes after the exit of former reserve driver Valtteri Bottas, who makes his return to the grid this season with Cadillac.

    I’m extremely excited to be joining the team, George and Kimi trackside more often this year as Third Driver. That’s going to be very cool for me. I’ve worked with this team for five years now, so to step up even closer to my dream of racing in Formula 1, that’s a huge privilege. And obviously I’ve been working so hard on this car, W17, with everyone in Brackley, so to get to see it around the world and with F1 is going to be very special.
    Vesti on the news.

  • Mercedes reveal W17

    Mercedes have revealed the first images of their 2026 challenger, which features a revised livery in their iconic silver and black colours.

    The Silver Arrows, who fought back to finish second in the Teams’ Championship last year, will run an unchanged line up of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli this season.

    The W17, like all its rivals, will be smaller, narrower and lighter than its predecessor as it has been designed and built to sweeping new aerodynamic regulations.

    The team will be heading to Bahrain for official pre-season testing with two three-day tests planned for teams to refine their cars and start to chase performance before the start of the 2026 Formula 1 season.

    Formula 1 will undergo significant change in 2026, and we are prepared for that transition. The new regulations demand innovation and absolute focus across every area of performance. Our work on the new car, and the long-term development of the Power Unit and advanced sustainable fuels with Petronas, reflects that approach. Releasing the first images of the W17 is simply the next step in that process.”It represents the collective, sustained effort of our teams in [their Power Unit base in] Brixworth and [chassis base in] Brackley. We will continue to push hard in the months ahead.
    Wolff on the new car.

  • Mercedes confirm launch date

    Mercedes have set a date for the reveal of their 2026 Formula 1 car, the Mercedes-AMG F1 W17 E Performance.

    Renders of the design – made to F1’s all new regulations – will be released across Mercedes’ digital channels on Thursday January 22nd, shortly before the private pre-season test in Barcelona.

    A dedicated 2026 digital season launch show will follow on Monday February 2nd, ahead of back-to-back test sessions in Bahrain.

    The season launch – which will be streamed via Mercedes’ social media pages – is set to feature Silver Arrows CEO and Team Principal Toto Wolff, continuing drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, as well as insight on the sweeping technical changes from senior team members.

    Mercedes are pushing to get back to title-challenging ways after failing to win a championship under F1’s recent ground-effect era – the outfit placing third in 2022, second in 2023, fourth in 2024 and second in 2025.

  • Russell & Antonelli confirmed as Mercedes line-up

    George Russell and Kimi Antonelli will form Mercedes’ Formula 1 driver line-up for the 2026 season, the team have announced.

    The eight-time World Champions have opted to stick with Russell and Antonelli, who are both products of the team’s junior programme and have guided the Silver Arrows to P2 in the Teams’ Championship with three race weekends to go.

    Russell was promoted to the works team in 2022, after three years at Williams, and has since clinched five Grands Prix wins, the latest of which came at Singapore.

    Next year will be his eighth in F1 and 10th campaign for Mercedes, having joined their junior programme in 2017.

    Rookie Antonelli has had some big peaks this year, including Sprint pole in Miami, a podium in Canada, where he became the youngest podium finisher in F1 history and podium in Sao Paulo, but also endured a difficult run through the European leg of the season.

    Confirming our driver line-up was always just a matter of when, not if. We wanted to take our time, handle the negotiations properly and make sure everyone, on all sides, was happy. I’m pleased we have done that. George and Kimi have proved a strong pairing and we’re excited to continue our journey together. Our focus is now on the final six races of the year, as we fight for second in the Constructors’, and onwards to 2026 and a new era in F1.
    Wolff on the news.

    I am really proud to be continuing our journey together. Next year will mark my 10th since I signed with Mercedes back in 2017. It has been such a long and successful partnership with the team so far and I can’t wait to see what lies ahead, particularly as we embark on one of the largest regulation changes in the sport’s history next year. We are all incredibly focused on making that a success and, for me personally, building on what has been my strongest season in F1 to date.
    Russell on the news.

    I’m super excited to be continuing with the team. I’ve learnt so much in my first season in F1, both in the good moments and the more challenging ones. Those have all made me stronger, not only as a driver but as a team mate too. I want to say thank you to Toto and everyone at Brackley and Brixworth for their continued support and faith in me. Our focus now is to finish this year strongly and secure second in the Constructors’ Championship, before we then turn our full attention to 2026. There’s plenty for us still to achieve in these final six races and we will be giving it our all.
    Antonelli on the news.

  • R18 – Singapore

    George Russell has claimed a dominant victory in the Singapore Grand Prix, the Mercedes driver converting pole position into a flawless win ahead of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, while McLaren scored enough points to seal the 2025 Teams’ Championship.

    Russell had led cleanly away from P1 on the grid as the race got underway, while the battle behind saw Norris clip the rear of Verstappen’s Red Bull and bang wheels with team mate Oscar Piastri, the Briton subsequently getting past his teammate in a close scrap.

    While Piastri voiced his unhappiness at how the incident had played out, Russell continued to lead up ahead in a commanding performance, the Silver Arrows driver proving unchallenged as he stormed to his second win of the season and fifth career triumph.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Russell, P2: Verstappen, P3: Norris, P4: Piastri, P5: Antonelli, P6: Leclerc, P7: Alonso, P8: Hamilton, P9: Bearman and P10: Sainz.

    What a result for Russell! A very dominating drive by the Mercedes man, he will be hoping the result will gain him a contract extension with the Silver Arrows. As for his teammate, a good race for him too finishing P5 for the young Italian.

    P2 for Verstappen, a really good weekend for him, the car seems to have a bit of pace now, which is needed in his late charge of the title battle. He didn’t really do much wrong during the race, just Russell was zooming ahead.

    A great result for Norris P3 for the Championship contender, a bit of a controversial move on his teammate at the start of the race. And Piastri was not happy at all, but Norris kept his pace up and came home with that all important podium finish.
    Obviously, the team have now officially won the Constructors’ Championship! Now they can fully focus on getting a potential 1-2 finish in the Drivers’ Championship.

    An okay result for Ferrari, they seemed to have more pace before the race. Leclerc finished P6 and Hamilton P8 after an 5 second penalty was applied to Hamilton after the race for exceeding track limits.

    P7 for Alonso, a good result for him and Aston Martin. It’s been a few weekends since his been in the points but good for the team.

    Points for Bearman! A really good result for him in the Haas, again it’s been a few races since his been in the points so a really good showing from the young Brit.

    P10 for Sainz! What a drive from the Williams driver, from being disqualified from Qualifying to getting back in the points, which is a really good result.

    It feels amazing, especially after what happened a couple of years ago. That was a bit of a missed opportunity, but we more than made up for it today. I’m so grateful for the team, they did an amazing job this whole weekend. We don’t really know where this performance came from, but I’m really happy.
    Russell on the win.

  • R10 – Canada

    George Russell has clinched Mercedes’ first victory of the season in the Canadian Grand Prix, a race that ended in dramatic style after a collision between McLaren team mates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris that saw the latter crash out.

    It had been a strong start from pole position for Russell, the Briton launching away cleanly to hold the lead from Max Verstappen. What followed was a race of different strategies across the pack, with some opting for a two-stop plan while others tried to nurse their tyres on a one-stop.

    Most of the front runners executed a two-stop strategy, setting up for a thrilling finale as the gaps amongst the top five cars became increasingly close in the closing stages.
    While Russell was leading from Verstappen, Piastri was trying to catch Kimi Antonelli for third – but the Australian also had Norris hot on his tail.

    The McLaren pair then engaged in a feisty battle and contact occurred between them after Norris hit the back of Piastri’s car, resulting in Norris parking up at the side of the track.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Russell, P2: Verstappen, P3: Antonelli, P4: Piastri, P5: Leclerc, P6: Hamilton, P7: Alonso, P8: Hulkenberg, P9: Ocon and P10: Sainz.

    What a result for the Mercedes duo, their first win of the 2025 season and done in style by Russell and it makes up from last year’s Canadian Grand Prix. As for Antonelli, his first podium in F1 in his rookie season! It makes him the third youngest podium sitter.

    A very good result for Verstappen, I think he would have liked the win, but with different strategies going on up and down the field it was a difficult one to grasp.
    As for his teammate, Tsunoda finished outside of the points in P12, after starting from 18th… Not a very good weekend for him.

    P4 for Piastri, a shame he didn’t get on the podium as he was closing in on Antonelli, but sometimes it’s not meant to be. However, it wasn’t a smooth sailing race for the McLaren’s, late on in the race Norris was closing in on Piastri and it all came to blows, after Norris went for a very tight gap which he shouldn’t of gone for and clipped the back of Piastri wheel which saw Norris’ front wing come off and damage the front axel skidding himself along the pit wall and out of the race.
    Piastri was okay to carry on and finish the race as he had no damage at all.
    A gutting end to the weekend for Norris, but it was a mistake which he owned up to straight away and took full responsibility, he will be looking towards the next race weekend.

    A decent result for the Ferrari’s, but still not amazing. P5 for Leclerc and P6 for Hamilton, the latter was no where in the race as he suffered damage to his Ferrari early on in the race.

    Points for Alonso again, a good display of the improvements Aston Martin are making, every point scoring finish for the Silverstone based team will be vital at the end of the season.

    Hulkenberg also was in the points again for the second race weekend in a row, lots of improvements made from the Stake team and it is great to see.

    Now we have a little break before the next race weekend and it’s a double header starting in Austria on the 27th – 29th June!

  • R6 – Miami Sprint Qualifying

    Kimi Antonelli has clinched his debut pole position after delivering a stunning lap during Sprint Qualifying at the Miami Grand Prix, the Italian holding off the challenge from both McLaren’s to become the youngest polesitter ever – in any race format – in F1.

    A thrilling conclusion to SQ3 saw the name at the top of the timesheets change more than once, with Max Verstappen initially beating George Russell’s benchmark – only for Antonelli to surge through with an effort of 1m 26.482s at the wheel of the Mercedes.

    Oscar Piastri fell short by just 0.045s in second, while fellow McLaren driver Lando Norris had to settle for third.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Antonelli, P2: Piastri, P3: Norris, P4: Verstappen, P5: Russell, P6: Leclerc, P7: Hamilton, P8: Albon, P9: Hadjar and P10: Alonso.

    What a result from Antonelli! First ever pole position and what a way to do it! A great result for the Italian and a promising start to the weekend! Hopefully he can turn it into a Sprint win.
    As for his teammate, Russell qualified 5th, not a bad result as it was very close between the top 6.

    A good result for McLaren P2 and P3. They’ve got a good opportunity for the sprint race, this should boost Norris’s confidence a bit more now, as he has seem to struggled this season.

    A decent result for Verstappen, P4 for the four time world champion! As for his teammate Tsunoda was out in SQ1 after failing to make it to the line to start a lap, very unfortunate for him.

    A decent result for Ferrari, 6th for Leclerc and 7th for Hamilton, a good result for the team and potential for some points today in the sprint race.

    A good result for Albon, P8! I think this is now just the normal for Williams, a familiar face in the top 10’s now.

    P10 for Alonso, nice to see him making an appearance in the top 10, he will be looking to see if the Aston Martin car can get into the points.

  • Vesti to drive in FP1 at Bahrain

    Frederik Vesti will be driving for Mercedes in the opening session for this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix.

    Mercedes’ test and reserve driver, will be taking over George Russell’s W16 for FP1 at the Bahrain International Circuit, having already assisted the squad with simulator work at Brackley this year.

    This is the Dane’s third appearance in a grand prix weekend, having also driven in FP1 for Mercedes in Mexico and Abu Dhabi in 2023.

    This year, he is dovetailing his Mercedes commitments with a drive in the IMSA Sports Car Championship with the factory backed Action Express Cadillac team.

    New for 2025 signing, Andrea Kimi Antonelli has already fulfilled the requirements for Mercedes in Australia and China, but now that the Italian has completed two grands prix, he is no longer considered a rookie for this purpose.

    The Sakhir circuit is seen as an ideal venue for F1 teams to bring in newcomers, as they already have a substantial amount of data from the track during pre-season testing in February.

    I am really looking forward to getting my first taste of the W16 in FP1 in Bahrain. Being able to put all of my simulator work into practice on the track is a really exciting prospect for me. At the start of the year, I set myself the goal of maximising every chance I get behind the wheel of an F1 car in 2025, and that is what I hope to achieve in Bahrain. I will be doing everything I can to help the team, George, and Kimi get set for the rest of the weekend. I am grateful to Mercedes for once again giving me this opportunity.
    Vesti on the news.

  • Mercedes announce car reveal date

    Mercedes have confirmed that their 2025 F1 car will be revealed to the world on February 24th, just a few days after the team unveil their livery during the inaugural season launch event at London’s 02.

    The squad’s challenger for the campaign ahead – the Mercedes-AMG F1 W16 E Performance is set to break cover ahead of what will be a new era for the Silver Arrows driver-wise, with rookie Kimi Antonelli joining the incumbent George Russell following Lewis Hamilton’s departure to Ferrari.

    Details have not yet been revealed about where the car launch will take place, but the event will come just under a week after Mercedes join the other nine teams on the grid for the F1 75 launch event in London.

    The livery that will adorn the W16 will be unveiled during the special event, with Toto Wolff recently stating that the squad will continue to use black on their car, a colour scheme that Hamilton was instrumental in introducing back in 2020.

    Mercedes are the latest team to announce a reveal date for their car: Williams on 14th, Haas 16th for a filming day at Silverstone, Ferrari on the 19th.

    All 10 teams will head to the Bahrain International Circuit for pre-season testing for three days from February 26th – 28th ahead of the season opening Australian grand Prix.

  • Bottas re-joins Mercedes as reserve

    Mercedes have announced that Valtteri Bottas will return to the team as a reserve driver for the 2025 season, after the Finn and Kick Sauber parted company following the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

    Bottas drove for Mercedes for five seasons alongside Lewis Hamilton from 2017 – 2021, securing all 10 of his career wins with the Silver Arrows, as well as his 20 pole positions in Formula 1.

    He would then join Sauber, known as Alfa Romeo at the time for the 2022 season after Mercedes chose to promote George Russell in his place, the Finn enduring mixed fortunes with the Swiss team ranging from a strong 10th in 2022 to failing to score at all in 2024.

    When Kick Sauber opted not to re-sign Bottas for 2025 – instead choosing a new combination of Nico Hulkenberg and Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto – the Finn began talks with Mercedes about a reserve role in a bid to stay in the conversation as he pursues a racing return next season.

    His reserve role will involve him attending most, if not all, the Grand Prix and supporting George Russell and debutant Kimi Antonelli.

    Returning home to the Mercedes family as third driver for 2025 is what’s next and I couldn’t be more pleased. I want to thank Toto [Wolff, Mercedes team boss], the team at Brackley, and everyone at the three-pointed star for welcoming me back with open arms.Despite the challenges of the past few years, I know that I’ve still got so much more to contribute to F1. Since I was a five-year-old kid growing up in Nastola, Finland, my focus has been on achieving success in the top tier of motorsport. I’ve been fortunate to have enjoyed many incredible moments in my 12 years of racing in F1 so far. As I return to the place where so many of those moments were achieved, I’m looking forward to using all the knowledge I’ve gained to help the team to perform and progress towards our goal of fighting for world championships.
    Bottas on the news.

    Welcome home, Valtteri! It’s great to have you back. His impact and contribution in the five years he was with us previously as our race driver was immense. Along with scoring multiple Grands Prix wins, he played a vital role in five of our championship victories. His technical feedback and input were important in helping us to those successes and pushing the team forward. Not only that, but he was also a fantastic colleague and team member. His dry sense of humour and personable nature made him a firm favourite with everyone at Brackley and Brixworth. In his role as Reserve Driver, all those qualities will be incredibly important in helping us compete for world championships and supporting both George and Kimi on track.
    Toto Wolff on the news.

  • Schumacher to leave Mercedes as reserve driver at end of 2024.

    Mercedes have confirmed that Mick Schumacher will leave his role as the squad’s reserve driver at he end of 2024 following two years with the team.

    Schumacher joined the Brackley team ahead of the 2023 season – off the back of a two-season stint on the grid with Haas – and has since gone on to perform simulator work for the Silver Arrows as well as providing feedback during tests and races.

    Alongside this position, Schumacher has also competed for Alpine in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and now looks set to pursue new opportunities in 2025 following news of his exit from Mercedes.
    With Alpine also confirming the German driver will again be one of their six drivers for the 2025 campaign.

    Mick’s hard work, diligence, and determination in his role as Reserve Driver has been vital for the team over the past two years. From his work in the simulator, testing of various cars, and being part of the trackside team, we couldn’t have asked for any more from him. From day one, he fitted into the team with ease and has become an incredibly well-liked colleague for everyone at Brackley and Brixworth. However, Mick is first and foremost a racing driver. We have seen from both his time in F1, and this year with his performances in the World Endurance Championship, that he is a racer of an incredibly high calibre and one that deserves to be competing in the very best championships. As he moves on to his next challenge, I would like to thank Mick personally for his contribution to our team and we all wish him the very best in his future endeavours.
    Wolff on the news.

    I am grateful to Toto and the entire Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team for the insight I have gained over these two years. They have undoubtedly made me a more experienced racing driver because I have got to know the engineering side better. But watching these cars race and not sitting in the cockpit myself is tough. I want to get back to focusing 100% on racing. I want to be fully committed to the sporting side of motorsport. Ultimately, it is racing that you want to do as a driver, it is racing that gives you that feeling you love.
    Schumacher on leaving the team.

  • Alpine to use Mercedes power unit from 2026

    Alpine have secured a deal with Mercedes to run the German manufacturer’s power unit from 2026 until at least the end of 2030.

    The deal also involves taking a supply of their gearbox from the start of 2026 – though sources say Alpine are planning on producing their own gearbox in-house at Enstone from 2027.

    Last month, Alpine confirmed they will shut down their works engine programme at the end of next season as part of their ‘Hypertech’ transformation project.

    The team had already been in talks with other manufacturers about a customer engine supply, with Mercedes emerging as the team to strike a deal first.

    Alpine will continue to manufacturer their own power units through the 2025 campaign before switching in 2026, when new power unit rules come in to play – that feature a greater focus on the battery and use of 100% sustainable fuels.

    Alpine secured their biggest points haul of the season with a remarkable double podium finish last time out in Brazil. Which catapulted them up three places to sixth in the constructors’ championship with three Grands Prix to go.

    The multi-year agreement will see Mercedes-Benz supply Alpine with Power Units for the duration of the new regulations era, from 2026 until at least 2030. Alongside the Power Unit, Alpine will also be supplied with Mercedes gearboxes from the 2026 season. The team remains focused on performing in the strongest way possible in the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
    Alpine’s statement.

  • F1 Academy – RND 6 Day 2 & 3

    Day 2-
    Qualifying-

    Mercedes backed Doriane Pin secured double pole in qualifying, meaning she will start first in both races across the penultimate 2024 F1 Academy weekend.

    Alongside her on both front rows will be her PREMA Racing teammate, Ferrari’s Maya Weug, with Alpine’s Abbi Pulling have to settle for third across the two events as she chases down the Drivers’ title.

    After a delayed start to the session due to barrier repairs from an earlier event, Qualifying got underway with just 23 minutes available.

    Pin who was quickest in both Free Practice sessions on Friday, set the first representative time of the session to go top of the timesheets with a 1:55.998.
    However, it didn’t take long for Weug to beat that with a 1:55.779 with the two PREMA teammates going back and forth with the fastest times.

    As Pin found herself quickest once again, Standings’ leader Pulling tried to add to her tally of seven pole positions this season.

    Several drivers found themselves testing the limits of the circuit layout, with the likes of Haas’ Chloe Chambers driving through the gravel traps, Bianca Bustamante losing the rear of her McLaren into Turns 13 and 14 and Block experienced a spin.

    However in the end it was Pin who finished on top as she set a blistering final lap of 1:55.267, going purple in the first sector and improving on her own best time.

    Race 1-

    Abbi Pulling has secured the 2024 F1 Academy title in Qatar, despite Mercedes’ Doriane Pin claiming a dominant victory from pole position in Race 1.

    Pin had been unstoppable so far this weekend, topping every session before delivering a brilliant win in the desert in an attempt to keep her own title hopes alive.
    However, it wasn’t enough to stop Pulling from claiming the Drivers’ title with the Briton’s second place putting it out of mathematical reach.

    Pole-sitter Pin managed to hold her lead over the pack behind on the approach into Turn 1. Behind her, there was a brilliant battle for second place unfolding between Maya Weug and Pulling, as the Alpine racer managed to find a space past.

    Hamda Al Qubaisi was also on a charge at the start and made up a position from fifth, while F1 Academy Wild Card Alisha Palmowski also moved up a spot on her race debut.

    By the start of the third lap, Pin had pulled out a 1.5s gap to Pulling and continued to extend her lead lap by lap, whilst Weug dropped further off the Brit’s tail in third.

    Bustamante had an eventful outing with the McLaren driver finding the gravel on multiple occasions during the race, including at Turn 12 at the start with two big snaps of oversteer.
    She would also bring out some brief yellow flags during the final few laps as she spun out after getting her wheels in the gravel between Turn 4 and 5.

    Meanwhile attentions turned to the front as the race entered its final laps. “You have a four second gap behind so just bring it home” Pulling was told by her Rodin Motorsport team, as Pin drove off into the distance.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Pin, P2: Pulling, P3: Weug, P4: H Al Qubaisi, P5: Palmowski, P6: Block, P7: Edgar, P8: Marti, P9: Nobels and P10: De Heus.

    Day 3-

    Due to extended barrier repairs at the Lusail International Circuit, the race was cancelled.

    As a result, no points will be awarded for the race. However, Doriane Pin will receive the two points for pole position.

  • RW 22 – Las Vegas

    Max Verstappen became a four-time world champion with an assured drive to fifth place during Saturday night’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, while pole sitter, George Russell and the charging Lewis Hamilton earned a one-two finish for Mercedes!

    Verstappen entered the 50 lap encounter knowing that all he needed to do was keep title rival Lando Norris behind him to secure another title, which the Dutchman achieved by holding position into the first corner and gradually pulled away from the British driver.

    Having held a podium spot after the second round of pit stops, Verstappen opted against a fight when the Ferrari’s arrived at the rear of his Red Bull in the closing laps – both Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finding a way past before the chequered flag.

    At the front, Russell expertly managed a tricky race in cool, slippery conditions, keeping a fast-starting Leclerc at bay in the early laps – the latter running into tyre troubles as a result of that aggression – and controlling proceedings thereafter.

    The full top 10 are – P1: Russell, P2: Hamilton, P3: Sainz, P4: Leclerc, P5: Verstappen, P6: Norris, P7: Piastri, P8: Hulkenberg, P9: Tsunoda and P10: Perez.

    What a result for Mercedes, 1-2 for the team!! Coming into the weekend I would’ve been surprised however because they’ve had a very strong weekend it wasn’t too much of a shock.
    George kept his cool and grabbed the win from pole position and Lewis just had a superb drive from P10 to P2, it does make you think if he had qualified well, could he of got this win?
    An overall note though from the race is that the Mercs were just flying and no-one could really challenge them so it will be interesting to see if this happens again in the final two races…

    A very good result for Ferrari especially with the battle of the Constructors’ Championship still to win. Sainz finished 3rd and Leclerc 4th! There was a few words said after the race from Leclerc with the radio message. It will be interesting to see how the team goes forward with two races left.

    P5 for Verstappen, I think in an ideal world he would’ve loved to win the race and claim his fourth Championship. However, he got it done with two races left! A big congratulations to Max and Red Bull for a fourth consecutive Drivers’ Championship it’s not an easy task!
    His teammate had made some good overtakes in the race to finish 10th so his managed to score a point, but it’s still very dissapointing.

    A not so good weekend for McLaren, they were kind of nowhere, didn’t really do anything amazing as the pace just wasn’t there. Norris finished 6th and Piastri in 7th, so still a decent haul of points but still not good enough.

    A very good result for both Hulkenberg who finished in P8 and Tsunoda who finished P9, it will help the teams massively in the Constructors’ and with two races left they will be trying to grab as many points as they can.

    A disappointing race for Pierre Gasly, as he DNF’ed from starting P3. He had smoke exiting the rear of his pink Alpine, he was forced to pit lane and retire from the race.

    We don’t have too long to wait till the next race as its this week! And it is the return of the Sprint in Qatar…

  • RW 22 – Las Vegas Qualifying

    Mercedes driver George Russell, stormed to pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, edging out Ferrari rival Carlos Sainz and the flying Alpine of Pierre Gasly in Friday night’s pulsating qualifying session.

    Having topped final practice and led the way after the first Q3 runs, Russell posted a time of 1m 32.312s on his final lap to secure the top spot and end a run of Ferrari and McLaren poles stretching back to his P1 at Silverstone in July.

    Sainz was a tenth of a second back, while Pierre Gasly and Alpine built on their sensational double podium finish last time out at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix to deliver another eye-catching result in third place.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Russell, P2: Sainz, P3: Gasly, P4: Leclerc, P5: Verstappen, P6: Norris, P7: Tsunoda, P8: Piastri, P9: Hulkenberg and P10: Hamilton.

    A lovely little result for Russell and Mercedes, especially as they have been having good results all weekend so far in the practice sessions. It’s a shame for Lewis to have a lap time deleted as it looked like he would of been top 3 if he carried on the way the practice sessions went.

    What a result for Mr Pierre Gasly!! They have clearly brought upgrades before Brazil and they clearly work or it’s just their car suiting these last few tracks. Who knows but they may aswell keep enjoying it!

    A good qualifying for Ferrari! P2 for Sainz and P4 for Leclerc. They will be hoping for a good result for both drivers as they have got the Constructors’ fight to think about..

    A not so good result for both Verstappen and Norris, P5 and P6 respectively. It will be an interesting race, as Verstappen can win his fourth world championship this weekend! Norris will need to pull something special out the bag in the race to keep the fight going for another week!

    A good result for Tsunoda! P7, what a lovely result! As well as Hulkenberg who qualified P9 too, they will both be wanting to grab some points this weekend!

    A disappointing result for Perez who has qualified in P16, this isn’t what the team needs unfortunately, they are going to be losing so much ground in the Constructors’ with these awful results… He needs to get in the points this weekend to make it a better weekend.

    Awful qualifying for Aston Martin, P20 for Stroll and P17 for Alonso, I still don’t understand to this day how they done so well last year compared to how bad they’ve done this year, it’s just so strange.

    It feels incredible to be back on pole. We’ve been so quick all weekend and I just knew coming into that last Q3 lap… that’s going to be the one that counts. It doesn’t matter what’s happened before then. I had a bit of a moment on my first run and we had to change the front wing, so there was a moment when I thought we weren’t going to make the flag. I’m just so happy. We’ve got to do some deep diving to understand why we’ve been so quick so far this weekend because it was a real surprise.
    Russell on pole.

  • Antonelli to drive in FP1 session in Mexico

    Mercedes junior, and next year’s replacement for Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Antonelli, will get back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car as he takes part in his second FP1 session of the season in Mexico.

    The 18 year old Italian will take over Hamilton’s W15 in Mexico City, having also driven on Friday at Monza in September.
    However, the session in Italy came to an early end as a high-speed crash saw him put his borrowed car into the Monza wall just minutes into his debut.

    The crash had no bearing on Mercedes’ decision to promote the youngster, with Antonelli confirmed as Hamilton’s replacement at the Silver Arrows the very next day.

    Antonelli is currently competing in Formula 2, where so far he has took two wins and 3 podiums, he currently sits sixth in the drivers’ championship with two rounds to go!

    FIA regulations state all F1 drivers must sit out one FP1 each season for a rookie who has no more than two Grand Prix starts.

    I’m looking forward to driving in FP1 and playing my part in helping the team make a good start on track this weekend. It is a new circuit for me and one I have been working hard to prepare for. The altitude makes it unique and it’s a challenge I’m excited to experience. I want to thank the team for giving me this opportunity to contribute.
    Antonelli on the outing.

  • Mercedes unveil special one-off livery

    Mercedes have unveiled a special livery that will adorn the W15 during the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend, featuring shades of green in place of the team’s traditional silver colours.

    It is to mark the 50th anniversary of the squad’s technical and title partner PETRONAS, the company’s emerald green will replace most of the silver on the car’s front wing and sidepods.

    With the PETRONAS headquarters based in Kuala Lumpur in the neighbouring Malaysia, Mercedes opted to mark the milestone as F1 heads to the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

    The new look has earned praise from lewis Hamilton and George Russell, with both drivers looking forward to racing with the one-off livery under the lights.

    After the race weekend, Wolff, Hamilton and Russell will travel to Kuala Lumpur to continue the celebrations.

    Our partnership with PETRONAS is our longest standing and still going strong, and for any company to reach its 50th anniversary is an incredible milestone. Our partnership with PETRONAS is our longest standing and still going strong, and for any company to reach its 50th anniversary is an incredible milestone,
    Wolff on the livery.

  • Antonelli confirmed for 2025

    Mercedes have officially announced that Andrea Kimi Antonelli will be George Russell’s team mate for 2025, with the Italian stepping up from F2 to replace Ferrari bound Lewis Hamilton.

    The Silver Arrows have been mulling the identity of who would race for them next season after Hamilton told them he was leaving at the end of the season to join Ferrari.

    But on the eve of the Italian Grand Prix and just a day after Antonelli, 18, made his FP1 debut with the team at his home event in Monza, they announced the news.

    Antonelli has had a stellar junior career, as he rapidly climbed through the ranks. After winning the ADAC and Italian F4 titles in 2022 and Formula Regional European Championship in 2023, the Mercedes junior skipped F3 and entered Formula 2 with PREMA this season.

    He has won two races and currently lies 6th in the championship. The 18 year old has dovetailed competing in F2 with a testing programme in old-spec F1 machinery with Mercedes.

    In stepping up to F1, it now means both drivers in Mercedes’ 2025 line-up have graduated from their junior programme – with Russell set for his fourth season with the Silver Arrows having joined the junior squad in 2017.

    The Italian is expected to get another run for Mercedes in FP1 this year, with the team considering doing it in Mexico.

    It is an amazing feeling to be announced as a Mercedes works driver alongside George for 2025. Reaching F1 is a dream I’ve had since I was a small boy; I want to thank the team for the support they’ve given me in my career so far and the faith they’ve shown in me. I am still learning a lot, but I feel ready for the opportunity. I will be focused on getting better and delivering the best possible results for the team. I’m also really excited to become George’s team-mate. He came through the team’s junior programme just like myself and is someone I have a huge amount of respect for. He is super-fast, a multiple Grand Prix winner, and has already helped me improve as a driver. I am looking forward to learning from him and working together to deliver on track.
    Antonelli on the news.

    Our 2025 driver line-up combines experience, talent, youth and out-and-out raw speed. We are excited about what George and Kimi bring to the team both as individual drivers, but also as a partnership. Our new line-up is perfect to open the next chapter in our story. It is also a testament to the strength of our junior programme and our belief in home-grown talent. George has proved that he is one of the very best drivers in the world. He is not only fast, consistent, and determined, but has also developed into a strong leader within the team. Kimi has consistently shown the talent and speed needed to compete at the very top of our sport. We know it will be another big step up, but he has impressed us in his F1 testing this year and we will be supporting him every step of the way in the learning process. In George, he has an experienced team-mate from which he can learn and hone his craft. I am confident that both will contribute greatly as we continue to build momentum and fight at the front of the field.
    Toto Wolff on the junior driver stepping up.

    I’m really excited to be partnering with Kimi for 2025. His record in junior formula has been formidable and his promotion is truly deserved. He’s a fantastic young talent and a fellow graduate of our junior programme. I look forward to using the experience I’ve gained from my own journey to provide guidance to Kimi as he makes the step up to F1. I know how much of a support Lewis was for me throughout my time as a junior driver and since I’ve been his team-mate. I’ve learned so much from him and I hope to play a similar role for Kimi. As a team, we’re building a lot of positive momentum heading into next year. We continue to make progress on track and are working hard to put all the pieces in place to fight for world championships. It is a really exciting journey we are on; I am confident Kimi and I can continue to push the team forward and help deliver on the promise we are showing.
    Russell on the news.

  • Antonelli to make F1 debut with FP1 outing

    Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has confirmed that protege Kimi Antonelli will be making his Formula 1 weekend debut on home soil at the upcoming Italian Grand Prix, with the youngster being handed a practice run.

    Formula 2 racer Antonelli, who turned 18 on Sunday, has been widely tipped to replace Lewis Hamilton as George Russell’s team mate from the 2025 campaign, though Mercedes are yet to formally announce their plans.

    What Wolff has now confirmed, however, is that their junior driver will be given a chance to appear for Mercedes during Friday’s first practice session at Monza next weekend, as one of the two outings teams are required to fulfil each season.

    It comes amid a rapid rise for Antonelli, who has impressed on the junior scene via successive titles in Italian F4, ADAC F4, Formula Regional Middle East and Formula Regional European over the last two years.

    He is currently competing in F2, where with a solid run of early-season points finishes paved the way for breakthrough Sprint and Feature Race victories at the recent Silverstone and Hungaroring rounds.

  • Who is Andrea Kimi Antonelli?

    Andrea Kimi Antonelli has been brought into a lot of conversations the past couple of months, so shall we spread some light on who he is?

    Mercedes protege, Kimi Antonelli has been the talk of the Formula 1 paddock since the Miami GP – with some suggesting his arrival in the sport is imminent while others say there’s no rush.

    The Italian driver is the reigning Formula Regional European champion, backed by Mercedes, who has performed so strongly that he has skipped F3 and gone straight to F2 this season with Prema.

    Alongside his F2 duties, Mercedes have carefully crafted a Formula 1 acclimatisation programme for Antonelli, which began with a run in a 2021-spec Mercedes in Austria and was then followed up with a run in the 2022 Mercedes at Imola.

    Several more tests are planned across the year, with the focus on getting the 17 year old plenty of mileage in F1 machinery to prepare him as best as they can for a step up to F1 at some point.

    Mercedes do not want to rush Antonelli into Formula 1 and risk damaging a talent so good, he has been likened to Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton at this stage of his career.

    However, things have changed since Hamilton told Mercedes he was leaving a year earlier than planned to join Ferrari.
    This then forced the Silver Arrows to consider the possibility of bringing Antonelli into F1 at least a year earlier than they had ever contemplated.

    Then in Miami, the prospect of Antonelli making his debut in Formula 1 this season was raised when it emerged that governing body the FIA had received a request to give the Italian – who already has the 40 Super Licence points to race in F1 – dispensation to race in the championship before he turns 18 which he will do on August 25th of this year.

    There was rumours for the Italian to be brought in halfway through this season but for Williams and Logan Sargeant if he isn’t performing.
    But Mercedes priority will be to stick to the plan with Antonelli and prepare him properly and then guide him into Formula 1 and nurture what could be an incredible talent.

    How do you think Antonelli will get on for his first possible year in F1?

    Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy and PREMA Racing walks in the Paddock during previews ahead of Round 9 Budapest of the Formula 2 Championship at...

  • RW 14 – Belgium

    Lewis Hamilton has won the Belgian Grand Prix after team mate George Russell, who had originally come home in first, was disqualified following the race for an underweight car.

    The Mercedes duo had engaged in a thrilling late chase, with two-stopper Hamilton charging down his one-stopping team mate, but he was unable to pass on track for the victory, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri finishing third.

    However, following the conclusion of the Grand Prix, a technical delegate’s report stated that Russell’s car had been found to be underweight, with the matter referred to the stewards.
    The Brit was subsequently disqualified from the results with Mercedes acknowledging a “genuine error” by the team.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Hamilton, P2: Piastri, P3: Leclerc, P4: Verstappen, P5: Norris, P6: Sainz, P7: Perez, P8: Alonso, P9: Ocon and P10: Ricciardo.

    Obviously gutting for George Russell, he did a wonderful drive and made a very good call for the one-stop. But sometimes this is racing… So Lewis now inherits the win, which he did somewhat deserve, he led quite a bit of the race, it makes the Brit the second driver to win two races so far this season!

    A very good race for Piastri, he stuck with the Mercedes duo quite a bit during the race. He did overshoot his pitbox, which meant he lost a couple of seconds doing so, so it makes you think, what if he didn’t would the Australian be celebrating his second win?

    And Leclerc, a very good race for him, unlucky for the Monegasque not to get the win, but he and the team should be very happy with the 3rd place. Sainz, didn’t have the best race he finished 6th but he seemed like he lost time if anything as Leclerc had pace?

    An okay race for Verstappen, again he didn’t really make any massive steps forward apart from the start where he climbed a couple of places. The same also goes for his teammate, he finished P7 after starting P2, this isn’t good for the Mexican as he really needed to be on the podium this race to prove he should be in the Red Bull, so time will only tell what happens next…

    A decent race for Alonso, back in the points again, which is probably is exactly what the Spanish driver would want going into the summer break.

    Now, we have a bit of a wait for the next race, as it is the summer break which means we are not racing for quite a few weeks. But we are back on the 23rd to 25th August for Round 15 of 24 which is the Dutch Grand Prix.

  • RW 12 – Silverstone

    Lewis Hamilton has claimed a long-awaited and record-breaking ninth British Grand Prix victory in a thrilling race at Silverstone!

    While pole sitter, George Russell had led away from Hamilton as the event got underway, an exciting battle soon unfolded between the two Mercedes cars and the McLaren pair of Norris and Oscar Piastri amid changing weather conditions.

    The lead changed hands as the field began to switch to intermediate tyres after the opening phase of the race, before the skies later became dry and Hamilton capitalised from pitting for slicks on lap earlier than Norris – who also face a slow pit stop.

    While Russell retired with a water system issue, and Max Verstappen snatched P2 from Norris in the latter stages – Hamilton held his position to clinch an emotional victory, a record ninth win in a single Grand Prix and his first P1 since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Hamilton, P2: Verstappen, P3: Norris, P4: Piastri, P5: Sainz, P6: Hulkenberg, P7: Stroll, P8: Alonso, P9: Albon and P10: Tsunoda.

    WOWWW! What a result from Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes! His first win of the season, and he done it in style, this really does show you how much Mercedes have put so much into getting their car into a race winning way again and it hasn’t been easy but they’ve done it!
    Obviously unfortunate for Russell, as he could’ve easily been on the podium if he didn’t have to retire but I’m sure he will bounce back next race.

    A great result for Max Verstappen, it wasn’t the easiest of races for the world champion and that showed a few times as even himself wasn’t sure where he would finish the race, but it was a good recovery back to P2. However his teammate didn’t make massive moves in the race… He finished 17th… and was two laps down aswell. Not good at all, when is it time for Red Bull to rethink the second seat?

    A decent result for McLaren, P3 for Norris and P4 for Piastri. I think the team threw away a victory here, they definitely left Oscar out for too long when it was raining as they could’ve double stacked like Mercedes did and giving Norris options for slick tyres instead of picking him a certain set. I think the team has to iron out a few little problems as this won’t win them more races…

    Ferrari, P5 for Carlos Sainz, a decent drive for him, didn’t really see much from the Spanish driver but a decent point haul from him. As for the other Ferrari, Charles Leclerc didn’t have the best race either it was a disappointing outcome for him after he made places up at the beginning of the race and then slipped backwards after making an early switch to intermediate tyres.

    Another great result for Hulkenberg! P6, he is on fire at the moment, Haas really have pulled it out of the bag recently and it just seems to be working at the moment!

    A decent result for Aston Martin, a double points finish for the team which is good to see after their recent struggles.

    Albon in the points aswell for the teams home grand prix which is good! His teammate, Logan Sargeant just missed out on points in P11, unfortunate for the American but a decent drive by him.

    Alpine didn’t have the best of weekends, Pierre Gasly didn’t even get to start the race he went into the pits on the formation lap due to a gearbox problem and that was him done for the day. As for his teammate, Esteban Ocon, finished 16th.

    Now the triple header is over, and we have a little break before a double header which starts on the 19th to 21st July and its the Hungarian Grand Prix

  • RW 12 – Silverstone Qualifying

    George Russell clinched an impressive pole position in qualifying for the British Grand Prix, with the Mercedes team locking out the front row after Lewis Hamilton claimed second place.

    Having set the initial pace during the first runs of Q3, Russell improved further on his final effort by pumping in a time of 1m 25.819s, putting him 0.171s clear of Hamilton, while Lando Norris followed in third for McLaren to complete an all British top three.

    The full top 10 are – Pole: Russell, P2: Hamilton, P3: Norris, P4: Verstappen, P5: Piastri, P6: Hulkenberg, P7: Sainz, P8: Stroll, P9: Albon and P10: Alonso.

    What a result for the Mercedes duo! Honestly I was hoping for a Brit to be on pole and I really didn’t mind who, but it just makes it even more special that Mercedes have managed to qualify P1 and P2 at their drivers home grand prix! They will be pushing for a double podium, so it’s going to be an interesting race!

    Lando in the top three aswell, making it 3 Brits in the top 3 which we love to see! But he will be bringing the battle to the Mercedes drivers, as he will want this home win more than anything. His teammate, Oscar Piastri starts P5 which isn’t too bad, he will have the hard job of overtaking Max Verstappen.

    A really good result for Hulkenberg, P6! He will be hoping for a good result in the race and grab some more points for the team.

    Verstappen didn’t have the best of qualifying, it just didn’t seem to be all hooked up for the Dutch driver. But starting P4 isn’t all too bad, he can easily make up places. However, his teammate starting all the way down in 19th… not a good day for the Mexican driver, he got beached in the gravel and that was his session over in Q1.

    Not the best result for Ferrari, Carlos Sainz had the better qualifying session finishing in 7th, whereas his teammate Charles Leclerc is starting P11 after he got pushed into the elimination zone of Q2, so a lot of work to do for the Monegasque driver.