P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Kimi Antonelli is not singularly responsible for his recent downturn in form, according to Mercedes trackside engineering director, Andrew Shovlin.
Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin believes it is unjust for Kimi Antonelli to shoulder all the blame for his recent performance struggles. Antonelli, an 18-year-old rookie in Formula 1, faced a tough period without scoring points in six consecutive races in Europe, before breaking the streak with a tenth-place finish at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The introduction and later removal of a problematic rear suspension upgrade on the W16 impacted both Antonelli and teammate George Russell. Shovlin emphasized that Antonelli is his own harshest critic and that the team shares responsibility for the performance dip. Despite the setbacks, Shovlin recognizes Antonelli’s talent and youth, expressing a need to support him through this challenging phase. The recent races have had a more significant impact on Antonelli compared to Russell, but Shovlin sees potential for growth and improvement in the young driver.
