2025 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[zibby43]

(...) He had more private testing than any other rookie in history from what I can remember.

Just out of curiosity... Antonelli had over +20,000 km of private testing with old Mercedes cars before his debut (he spent the entire 2024 in private testing). Bortoleto, on the other hand, only had the 2024 post-season, the 2025 pre-season and one or two private testing sessions with an old Sauber car in January/February 2025 (he probably didn't even have 3,000 km of testing before his debut).

Thanks for this.

I posted my worries about his confidence a few hours ago and got roasted for it, and then, several hours later, this comes out:

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/andr ... /10745537/

Guys, we have to be capable of having nuanced conversation. Kimi is not a rookie anymore. With the length of the modern season and all the testing, he’s got plenty of mileage under his belt. Just because I think he should be performing more consistently with less mistakes doesn’t mean I think he should be given the RBR treatment and drummed out of the sport lol.

[Tonino]

Forget the drivers. The number one thing this team needs is a new technical team principal. Someone who actually knows how to build a fast car and can rally a top-tier engineering team. Not a celebrity-wannabe like Toto. The era of PR-hungry team principals is over — Horner's been fired, Toto is failing, and Mercedes better wake up before it’s too late.

[SB15]

I think we need to start having some serious questions about Toto Wolff as TP….

Mercedes definitely needs a technical guy for that role.

[Lasssept]

[Lasssept]

I think we need to start having some serious questions about Toto Wolff as TP….

Mercedes definitely needs a technical guy for that role.

Toto Wolff has signed a three-year deal to stay on as the team principal and chief executive of Mercedes F1.
15 January 2024

Wolff, who owns a third of Mercedes F1, told the Telegraph, that he has extended his contract until the end of 2026.

link

[Emag]

With the exception of that spike in Canada, Mercedes has been in no man's land since Imola. This season started out so much better than 2024 and 2023 but they have run into the same problems again, failing with in-season development. They're probably one of the most happiest teams in the grid right now to say good bye to these regulations at the end of this year. Considering where Mercedes came from with the previous era, these last couple of years can't be considered anything but a failure for a team like this.

[SB15]

I think we need to start having some serious questions about Toto Wolff as TP….

Mercedes definitely needs a technical guy for that role.

Toto Wolff has signed a three-year deal to stay on as the team principal and chief executive of Mercedes F1.
15 January 2024

Wolff, who owns a third of Mercedes F1, told the Telegraph, that he has extended his contract until the end of 2026.

link

Either way, Toto can still continue his role in Mercedes operations, but they definitely need someone new for the position. Similar to how the roles that Zak Brown and Andrea Stella operates at McLaren.

[zibby43]

Forget the drivers. The number one thing this team needs is a new technical team principal. Someone who actually knows how to build a fast car and can rally a top-tier engineering team. Not a celebrity-wannabe like Toto. The era of PR-hungry team principals is over — Horner's been fired, Toto is failing, and Mercedes better wake up before it’s too late.

I hope we’re fully able to walk and chew gum at the same time and discuss both topics.

I saw Kimi’s media interview. My worst fears were confirmed. He looks shattered already. No idea if he can come back from it.

The Toto talk is fair game but so is Allison, etc. What has this technical team done and isn’t Allison supposed to be a rear suspension/tire specialist?

How long have the tires been an issue in this rules set? Aero is absolutely an issue but so is everything else on the car (suspension kinematics, etc.). How many years in and they still can’t work the tires properly in quali or race trim on a consistent basis?

Tire performance is the typically the #1 performance differentiator in F1.

[Emag]

Forget the drivers. The number one thing this team needs is a new technical team principal. Someone who actually knows how to build a fast car and can rally a top-tier engineering team. Not a celebrity-wannabe like Toto. The era of PR-hungry team principals is over — Horner's been fired, Toto is failing, and Mercedes better wake up before it’s too late.

I hope we’re fully able to walk and chew gum at the same time and discuss both topics.

I saw Kimi’s media interview. My worst fears were confirmed. He looks shattered already. No idea if he can come back from it.

The Toto talk is fair game but so is Allison, etc. What has this technical team done and isn’t Allison supposed to be a rear suspension/tire specialist?

How long have the tires been an issue in this rules set? Aero is absolutely an issue but so is everything else on the car (suspension kinematics, etc.). How many years in and they still can’t work the tires properly in quali or race trim on a consistent basis?

Tire performance is the typically the #1 performance differentiator in F1.

I saw that too, felt sad to see him like that because it looked as if he had been crying. It's easy to forget he is still a kid and he has been put under immense pressure to perform. The media spotlight before he even started racing with "the new Verstappen" headlines certainly didn't help at all, and having an experienced George Russell as your first teammate ... It's just a recipe for disaster.

I think it was a mistake by Toto to bring him in directly to Mercedes. Even Max had the chance to spend a season with Toro Rosso before joining RedBull.

[zibby43]

Forget the drivers. The number one thing this team needs is a new technical team principal. Someone who actually knows how to build a fast car and can rally a top-tier engineering team. Not a celebrity-wannabe like Toto. The era of PR-hungry team principals is over — Horner's been fired, Toto is failing, and Mercedes better wake up before it’s too late.

I hope we’re fully able to walk and chew gum at the same time and discuss both topics.

I saw Kimi’s media interview. My worst fears were confirmed. He looks shattered already. No idea if he can come back from it.

The Toto talk is fair game but so is Allison, etc. What has this technical team done and isn’t Allison supposed to be a rear suspension/tire specialist?

How long have the tires been an issue in this rules set? Aero is absolutely an issue but so is everything else on the car (suspension kinematics, etc.). How many years in and they still can’t work the tires properly in quali or race trim on a consistent basis?

Tire performance is the typically the #1 performance differentiator in F1.

I saw that too, felt sad to see him like that because it looked as if he had been crying. It's easy to forget he is still a kid and he has been put under immense pressure to perform. The media spotlight before he even started racing with "the new Verstappen" headlines certainly didn't help at all, and having an experienced George Russell as your first teammate ... It's just a recipe for disaster.

I think it was a mistake by Toto to bring him in directly to Mercedes. Even Max had the chance to spend a season with Toro Rosso before joining RedBull.

He seems like a fine young man and I want nothing more for him to succeed. Hindsight is always an unfair advantage but it’s natural to question if it was too big of a leap directly to the works team.

And then the hype got a boost because of the relatively strong start to his season.

[Tonino]

Forget the drivers. The number one thing this team needs is a new technical team principal. Someone who actually knows how to build a fast car and can rally a top-tier engineering team. Not a celebrity-wannabe like Toto. The era of PR-hungry team principals is over — Horner's been fired, Toto is failing, and Mercedes better wake up before it’s too late.

I hope we’re fully able to walk and chew gum at the same time and discuss both topics.

I saw Kimi’s media interview. My worst fears were confirmed. He looks shattered already. No idea if he can come back from it.

The Toto talk is fair game but so is Allison, etc. What has this technical team done and isn’t Allison supposed to be a rear suspension/tire specialist?

How long have the tires been an issue in this rules set? Aero is absolutely an issue but so is everything else on the car (suspension kinematics, etc.). How many years in and they still can’t work the tires properly in quali or race trim on a consistent basis?

Tire performance is the typically the #1 performance differentiator in F1.

I agree with you on the whole technical team issue. James Allison has been a major disappointment. He and his department look as clueless on these regulations as anyone on the grid. But what I’m saying is that the failure starts at the top. When you have a team principal who’s failing at the most basic part of his job, recruiting and building a strong technical team, then he’s the first person who should be held accountable. Toto is James Allison’s boss, and the responsibility ultimately lands on him.

Let’s not forget, the only major technical recruit in recent years has been Simone Resta, and he’s been an utter failure this season. Also, why on earth would you go and recruit from Ferrari, of all teams? That organization has been a mess for the last 20 years. No one coming out of there should be considered top-tier in this business. Period.

[Lasssept]

Also, why on earth would you go and recruit from Ferrari, of all teams? That organization has been a mess for the last 20 years. No one coming out of there should be considered top-tier in this business. Period.

Aldo Costa ?
Lorenzo Sassi (Powerunit) ?

[Lasssept]

@LucianoYoma

[WardenOfTheNorth]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GwzgG4fXoAA ... =4096x4096
@LucianoYoma

"Maybe if we paint the car chrome...."

[SB15]

From @ikeuiku on X

“Kimi during his interview with Sky sports Italy:

aka: let’s say that lately the car has started to be nervous on entry and the way i drive, i really struggle because I can never carry the speed I want, and this also forces me to change my driving style, and that simply makes me slower.

kimi: with the way i’m driving, i’m just increasing the problem, and that gives me even less confidence with the car. on my side I'm probably trying to change the way I'm driving too much. it feels like I'm not driving naturally. its very forced.”


My theory was correct.

So Lewis is also having a similar issue with his Ferrari because the car when under breaking has something called “jacking” When the car would simply get nervous, has to do with the amount of kinetic energy going through the rest of the car under braking as result of increased anti-lift from the suspension.

So increasing anti-lift form the suspension not only creates more issues with cornering, but also under braking.

From @Motorsport on X

“I feel like I have no confidence”

Andrea Kimi Antonelli admits he’s struggling to find confidence with the Mercedes #F1 car after a Q1 exit in #BelgianGP qualifying, and is set for a pitlane start!