Mercedes drivers receive impassioned plea as timid McLaren duel criticised
Jolyon Palmer urged the Mercedes F1 drivers not to have a “timid” championship fight like McLaren in 2025. The battle for the drivers’ title between Kimi Antonelli and George Russell in the dominant W17 is anticipated, marking Mercedes’ first intra-team fight since Hamilton and Rosberg in 2016. Antonelli currently leads with two wins and a nine-point gap over Russell after three races. Palmer highlighted the lack of aggression in the McLaren duo’s 2025 season, hoping for a more intense rivalry between Antonelli and Russell. He pointed out Norris’ aggressive move against Piastri in Singapore as a moment of proper fight that he wants to see replicated between the Mercedes drivers. Palmer emphasized the importance of healthy rivalries for the excitement of the sport, contrasting it with McLaren’s more complacent approach in the previous season.
