P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes has addressed an incorrect rumour that a recent test was viewed by the team as a head-to-head.
Mercedes clarified that the recent test with George Russell, Mick Schumacher, and Andrea Kimi Antonelli was not a “shootout” as rumored. The private test at Silverstone with the side’s 2022 car was not a head-to-head competition. It’s common in F1 for teams to conduct Private Testing of Previous Cars (TPCs) with strict confidentiality. Speculation of a competition for Lewis Hamilton’s seat in 2025 between Schumacher and Antonelli was deemed completely false by Mercedes. Each driver had different programs and conditions during testing at Silverstone, dispelling the shootout rumor. Schumacher and Antonelli, especially at 17, received praise for their work, with Antonelli waiting to turn 18 to be eligible for an F1 superlicense. Both drivers will be back on track next week at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya to test the W13. Mercedes is pleased with their performance and excited for the upcoming busy days of testing.
