Kimi Antonelli on Mercedes' Mexican GP Practice Experiments and Promising Start

Kimi Antonelli has shed light on Mercedes' extensive setup changes during Friday's Mexican Grand Prix practice sessions, which resulted in a mixed but ultimately promising outcome for the team. The Italian rookie secured P2 and P3 across FP1 and FP2, marking his best Friday performance to date and notably outpacing teammate George Russell by nearly three-tenths in FP2.

Why it matters:

After a challenging season, Mercedes' ongoing experimentation with car setups is crucial for understanding their W15's behavior and optimizing performance. Antonelli's strong showing, particularly outperforming a more experienced teammate, signals his rapid adaptation to F1 and could provide valuable data for the team's weekend strategy. His ability to deliver consistent pace while evaluating different configurations demonstrates his potential and importance to Mercedes' development efforts.

The details:

• Session Results: Antonelli finished second in FP1 and third in FP2, marking the first time he's been in the top three for both Friday practice sessions.
• Teammate Comparison: He notably outperformed George Russell in FP2 by almost three-tenths of a second, highlighting his impressive pace at a new circuit.
• Setup Adjustments: Mercedes implemented various setup changes between sessions, which Antonelli described as improving the car in some areas while making it slightly worse in others. This experimentation yielded a significant amount of data for the team to analyze.
• Engine Glitch: Antonelli experienced a minor engine issue at the start of FP2, which slightly disrupted his run plan and forced a more rushed approach to his laps, yet he still managed to complete all planned runs and quick laps.
• Track Evolution: Antonelli emphasized the importance of track evolution as a potential factor that could shift the competitive landscape on Saturday, stressing the need for Mercedes to adapt accordingly with both driving and car setup.

The big picture:

Mercedes has been on a quest to unlock consistent performance from their W15 throughout the season. Friday's practice in Mexico served as another crucial testbed for their setup philosophies. Antonelli's performance, especially given the experimental nature of the sessions, indicates a potential breakthrough in understanding the car's sweet spot, or at least gathering vital information for future development. His adaptation to the high-altitude challenges of Mexico City also speaks volumes about his F1 readiness.

What's next:

Antonelli remains optimistic about Mercedes' pace heading into qualifying, but acknowledges the unpredictability of Saturday due to track evolution. The team will be dissecting the data gathered from Friday's experimental runs to fine-tune the car for qualifying and the race. If they can successfully integrate the positive aspects of their setup changes and mitigate the negative ones, Mercedes could be in a strong position to challenge at the front, with Antonelli potentially surprising the grid with a strong qualifying result.