The announcement comes at a key moment of the calendar, when they remain Few races to close the 2025 season. Mercedes’s decision seeks to give stability to his alignment and allow the confirmed pilot to consolidate his development in the category.
The pilot who was confirmed to run in 2026
Toto Wolff, head of the Mercedes team, confirmed the permanence of Andrea Kimi Antonelli for the 2026 season. The Italian pilot, of 18 yearswill continue in the German team despite the rumors that linked him to Alpine or Williams. “Speculations about Williams and Alpine are completely absurd. Will remain in 2026. 100% guaranteed “, Wolff declared in an interview with Sky Sports Italy.
Antonelli debuted in Formula 1 in 2025 and showed an irregular yield. He achieved a podium and good results in the first part of the championshipbut his performance declined in the last raceswith several abandonments and errors in classification. However, his fourth place in the Azerbaiyan Grand Prix demonstrated his potential, especially when handling complex situations such as the DRS train.
The young pilot accumulates 78 points In the championship, occupying the seventh place, while his teammate, George Russelladdition 212 points And it is located room. Mercedes recognized Fallas in the preparation of Antonelli during the summer break, particularly with simulator problems that affected their adaptation to some circuits.
The reasons why Kimi Antonelli would be better in 2026, according to Mercedes
The German team identified Two key factors that could improve Antonelli’s performance in 2026. The first is the intensification of its preparationwith longer sessions in the simulator and a personalized approach to handle the pressure. “We constantly work with Him. We have recently intensified our preparations”explained Andrew Shovlin, chief engineer of Mercedes.
The second factor is the Change in car configuration. Antonelli led with an updated rear axle in Icola that, according to the team, complicated car management In several circuits. “We are convinced that the new rear suspension made the car more difficult to drive,” Shovlin admitted. The return to the original rear axle in the last races improved its performance, as seen in Baku.
Mercedes also highlighted Antonelli’s potential, remembering his good results in the first races of the season. “If we look at the first races, there he added almost all his points at this point”Shavlin said. His ability to handle adverse conditions, such as rain in Melbourne, where he achieved a fourth place, supports the decision to keep it in the team.
Source: Ambito
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