boss Toto Wolff praised ’s “unbelievable” efficiency on the Monaco Grand Prix, which he gained from pole and secured his first Formulation 1 grand slam after main each lap of the race and securing the quickest lap.
Mercedes’ dominance has been plain to see this season, with the Silver Arrows successful each grand prix to this point in 2026 with drivers Antonelli and . Nonetheless, it was anticipated to face a stern problem from on the streets of Monaco.
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This problem by no means materialised, and Antonelli gained the grand prix from pole place on Sunday. Wolff himself admitted that the staff was “stunned” by the younger Italian’s pace on Sunday, which noticed him rack up a 30-second lead earlier than the security automotive got here out following ’s crash.
“We have been stunned ourselves about that pace,” Wolff stated after the Monaco GP. “He was, you understand, the laps he was pulling within the occasions, they have been two seconds quicker than the McLarens, and a strong plus one second quicker than Ferrari. And it was like clockwork. Why that’s on a observe that we’d haven’t thought of to be our strengths earlier than the weekend, I do not know.”
Regardless of the shock of his pace on Sunday, Antonelli’s dominance on race day shouldn’t come as an excessive amount of of a shock, as he placed on an “unbelievable” present in qualifying on the day past to safe his fourth pole place in F1.
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Kimi Antonelli scored his fifth successive F1 win in Monaco
Kimi Antonelli scored his fifth successive F1 win in Monaco
“In Monaco, much more than on many different circuits, you must be one with the automotive and actually within the zone,” Wolff added.
“That is additionally why on George’s aspect, when you lose that confidence, it is very troublesome to be quick right here. And as for Kimi, we noticed in Q2 he was excellent already, after which once we went into the final session, I assumed, that is going to be not possible.
“As a result of seeing Charles [Leclerc] flying into the swimming pool part, that’s the quickest I’ve seen a automotive coming in there and on the restrict sideways. After which Max [Verstappen] topped it.
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“We have been tracing Kimi’s lap, we have now the dwell GPS, and it seemed like he was simply not going to make it, after which out of nowhere, within the final two corners, he made the distinction and he was on pole, and searching on the onboard afterwards, it was unbelievable, it was unbelievable that lap.”
The efficiency over the weekend noticed Antonelli safe his first grand slam in F1, setting a brand new report for the youngest driver to take action at simply 19 years, 9 months and 13 days outdated. He eclipsed the earlier report set by by nearly 4 years.
Kimi Antonelli leads Lewis Hamilton by 66 factors within the F1 standings
Kimi Antonelli leads Lewis Hamilton by 66 factors within the F1 standings
In consequence, he now leads the standings by 66 factors over second-place and has a 68-point lead over team-mate Russell – who was extensively considered his closest rival for the 2026 crown.
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The mountain Russell now has to climb follows a spate of unhealthy luck that noticed him retire in Montreal and he was hit with .
Regardless of the chasm, Wolff stays assured within the Briton’s means to maintain the combat rolling on between the Mercedes pair.
“Luck swings in your route, after which generally it does not,” he added. “And it isn’t a query of not realizing learn how to drive, it is about having a automotive beneath that you simply really feel assured with, and that you would be able to go quick. And that is the actual fact.
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“Formulation 1 is about physics and never mystics. You do not unlearn learn how to drive, and you do not change into a miracle marvel driver [suddenly]. I am not pressured in any respect for his performances, as a result of we all know he is among the best.”
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