Kimi Antonelli’s seat seems to be to be secure for subsequent season with “no quick menace” to his place regardless of dealing with public criticism from Mercedes for the primary time.
19-year-old Antonelli is enduring a torrid run of type throughout an up and down rookie season in F1, having completed ninth in a messy race at Monza during which he picked up a time penalty.
Antonelli acquired uncommon criticism from Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who has beforehand been steadfast in his assist of {the teenager} who was fast-tracked into the staff as seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton’s alternative.
Wolff described Antonelli’s show on the Italian Grand Prix as “underwhelming”, together with his change of tone elevating questions over the Italian’s future with Mercedes.
Regardless of Antonelli’s shaky performances, he’s anticipated to be retained alongside George Russell for subsequent season.
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“Wolff’s remarks have been no less than partly provoked by the truth that Monza was the second race weekend in a row on which Antonelli had crashed in Friday follow and disrupted his preparations,” BBC Sport F1 correspondent Andrew Benson wrote in a Q&A.
“The 19-year-old’s season began properly. He steadily constructed his confidence within the automotive, and that led to his excellent qualifying performances in Miami, the place he took pole for the dash race and out-qualified George Russell for the grand prix as properly. He took a maiden podium in Canada, the place Russell gained.
“However a change to the Mercedes rear suspension that made the automotive extra nervous knocked his confidence, and his type has probably not recovered because the staff reverted to their earlier design from Hungary.
“It is price stating, although, that since Canada, Russell has been on the rostrum solely as soon as.
“There isn’t a quick menace to Antonelli’s place – he shall be a Mercedes driver subsequent yr. However he actually must quiet down and steadily construct once more.”
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Nico Rosberg questions Toto Wolff’s motive
Former Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg was left stunned by Wolff’s change after all on Antonelli.
“It is a shocking one, as a result of in the mean time, the one selection you actually have is to simply give Kimi probably the most time potential in probably the most calm method potential, and which means additionally not criticising him publicly,” Rosberg advised The F1 Present.
“And so this alteration of tone from Toto for the primary time ever… often there is a motive behind it. Toto may be very calculated in his feedback.
“Maybe he is wanting to place some strain on Kimi and his household to strive a distinct strategy, modify their strategy, evaluate their strategy.
“However the truth of the matter is, Kimi is a generational expertise, everyone knows that, however it’s harder for him than all of us thought up to now. And it’s kind of unusual that it is nonetheless so troublesome.”
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Antonelli is eighth within the drivers’ championship after 16 out of 24 races this yr, 128 factors behind fourth-placed Russell.
