P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes has acknowledged that it might have been unwise to hand Andrea Kimi Antonelli his weekend bow in F1 in FP1 at the Italian Grand Prix.
Antonelli was granted the opportunity to test Mercedes’ latest F1 car, the W15, after an extensive testing program with previous models. He initially displayed impressive speed during practice at Monza but crashed during his second timed lap at Parabolica, cutting his session short. Mercedes announced that Antonelli would drive with the team in 2025, despite the early setback at the Italian Grand Prix. Toto Wolff acknowledged underestimating the pressure Antonelli faced in his debut and highlighted the importance of assessing risk factors. While expressing confidence in Antonelli’s potential, Wolff emphasized the need to allow the young driver time to develop and gain experience without putting undue pressure on him.
