P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes F1 star claims team decision set him back ‘months’
Mercedes F1 driver Kimi Antonelli explained that his dip in form during the 2025 season was due to a technical change made in May, specifically a rear suspension upgrade introduced at Imola that caused instability at the rear end.
Antonelli struggled to adapt to the new setup, losing confidence in the car and his driving style, resulting in poor performance during the European leg of the season.
After reverting back to the old suspension in Hungary, Antonelli regained his performance and secured two more podium finishes in his rookie season.
Despite the setbacks, Antonelli remained hopeful for improvement towards the end of the season, expressing that with better adaptation or an earlier suspension change, the outcome could have been different.
His struggles contrasted with teammate George Russell’s success, highlighting the challenges faced by the young Italian driver in a competitive F1 season.
