Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff reflects on the thrilling weekend in Zandvoort. Both Mercedes drivers were on track for points in the dune race, until two incidents with Charles Leclerc disrupted their progress. The focus now shifts to Monza, the second home race for Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and Wolff is confident that the young Italian can bounce back.
The Mercedes team experienced an exciting weekend in Zandvoort. Drivers George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli were on their way to a double points finish – a fourth place for Russell and a sixth place for Kimi Antonelli – but the young Italian fell back to sixteenth place due to a double time penalty. The Mercedes rookie had earlier in the race received a ten-second time penalty for a collision with Charles Leclerc. Kimi Antonelli crashed into the back of the Monegasque’s SF-25 during a failed overtaking attempt, ending Leclerc’s race. Later, Kimi Antonelli received an additional five-second time penalty for exceeding the maximum speed in the pit lane.
Incidents with Leclerc
All in all, it was not a good weekend for the Italian rookie, who is heading to his second home race this week. There, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff hopes for a less nerve-wracking weekend than in Zandvoort. “We occasionally had a decent pace with which we could compete for the podium,” Wolff still sees the positive aspects of the Dutch race weekend. “Despite his eleventh starting position, Kimi managed to move up in the field and without the contact with Leclerc, he could probably have challenged the leaders in the final stages.”Kimi Antonelli Explains Kamikaze Move on Leclerc: ‘I’ll Think Twice Next Time’
Not only did Kimi Antonelli encounter Leclerc on the track, but George Russell also had a minor collision during a takeover by the Monegasque. “George’s race was also ruined by an incident with the Ferrari,” Wolff continues his review. “He did a good job by scoring solid points with a fourth place despite significant damage to the floor.”
Focus on Monza
Mercedes’ focus now shifts to Monza, where Kimi Antonelli will drive his second home race of the season. “While that will be exciting for him, we know he will concentrate one hundred percent on his work on the track,” Wolff maintains confidence in the young rookie. “The competition behind McLaren is fierce, and we will have to be at our best if we want to continue closing the gap with the second place in the constructors’ championship.”
