2025 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[Lasssept]

[Lasssept]

Paula Montaño, simulation engineer, leaves Scuderia Ferrari, after 2 years. She joins Mercedes

https://x.com/robertofunoat/status/1967340387821101209

[MB_Racer]

The W16 is not looking too bad
, let’s hope it improves overnight and that both cars can get in front of the Ferrari!

Also surprising to see Kimi doing so well in FP2!

[Lasssept]

Mark Hughes | The Race

Half a second behind Hamilton in the headline times, the Mercs nonetheless were third- and fourth-fastest, with Kimi Antonelli within hundredths of George Russell and looking comparably quick on the long runs – although again well adrift of Ferrari. And with the high likelihood of McLaren and Red Bull bouncing back tomorrow.

Running less flap area than McLaren, around the same as Red Bull and somewhere in between the two Ferrari wings, Russell loses most of his 0.477s deficit to Hamilton down the initial part of that final flat-out stretch. This suggests either that the Mercedes is a lot less aero-efficient or that the Ferrari is running in a higher power mode (see above). Probably a combination of both.

[OverheatedTurbo]

Crazy Qualifying. Glad to see Kimi back on top form. GR doing reasonably well despite having a flu.

[Lasssept]

Not great, not terrible

[MB_Racer]

Not great, not terrible

Very true just disappointed not to be 2nd and 3rd on this grid since both Ferrari screw up and Piastri mistake…

Sadly and once again not the optimal result possible but good result for Kimi

[Lasssept]

[Lasssept]

[OverheatedTurbo]

Solid from George and Kimi. Its good to see Kimi regain some confidence after that torrid European slump.

[Matt2725]

I get Kimi doesn't want to lose to his teammate but they should have swapped them round a lot sooner.

George's pace in clean air was on par with Verstappen on the hards.

[Lasssept]

[f1isgood]

I get Kimi doesn't want to lose to his teammate but they should have swapped them round a lot sooner.

George's pace in clean air was on par with Verstappen on the hards.

It was not. Verstappen pushed whenever he wanted and made the gap larger towards the end. Averaged over 51 laps, 14s is roughly 3 tenths and that is a mountain to climb.

[Lasssept]

- Mercedes Team Principal and CEO, Toto Wolff, has jested that if the drivers' contracts are not signed before testing for 2026 begins, the team will put "someone else in the car."

link

[Chuckjr]

Good grief! I could very well be wrong, but my gut tells me this is George wanting more than a year and Toto having none of it.