Kimi Antonelli: McLaren currently biggest challenger after updates

– Ferrari was long considered the biggest challenger to Mercedes, but since the Hungarian Grand Prix, which world champion Lando Norris was able to win thanks to a major upgrade package, the balance of power seems to have shifted. Kimi Antonelli sees McLaren as the biggest threat to the Silver Arrows.

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“We expected McLaren to be strong because they were also the ones who delayed their upgrade the longest,” the Italian recalls that the team brought only a few updates in the first races. “So we knew they would come back – especially when you look at their performance at the start of the season.”

“On some tracks, they were already fully competitive in terms of performance. And I also know that they will bring something new again this weekend,” Antonelli believes that Lando Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri will again be contenders in Zandvoort. “So they will probably be our biggest competitor.”

Team colleague George Russell sees it similarly, finding it “very impressive” how much progress McLaren made in Hungary. “I expect them to be competitive here in Zandvoort as well – the corners are similar, and the track is demanding on the tires,” says the Brit.

Kimi Antonelli also sees Ferrari and Red Bull as threats

But McLaren will not be the only threat to Mercedes. “I think Ferrari will also be fighting at the front,” Antonelli adds, recalling the updates at the Scuderia: “They have a new floor this weekend. So it will be interesting to see how they perform. And then, of course, Red Bull.”

You should “never write off” Max Verstappen, emphasizes the current championship leader. In addition, the Dutchman is racing at his home event in Zandvoort and may have traveled to the North Sea coast with momentum thanks to his recent contract extension. “He will definitely be up front as well.”

“Honestly, we were all very surprised at how rapidly development has progressed at all teams,” Russell emphasizes, making it clear that the initial advantage of the Silver Arrows has now completely melted away. “Every time a team brought an upgrade, it seemed to immediately translate into positive results for that race weekend.”

George Russell warns: Next races “a bit tougher”

The problem: Mercedes has been running without improvements on the W17 for several races. “We haven’t brought an upgrade since Canada – no performance upgrade,” Antonelli reminds. “So that was quite a while ago.” This is also why the competition has recently caught up significantly, but the Italian remains completely unconcerned.

“Of course, we expect a big upgrade later in the season. Hopefully, that will help us in terms of performance,” says the 19-year-old with regard to Mercedes’ upgrade strategy, which is somewhat more relaxed than the competition’s. “That’s why this race is so important: we have to get the best out of our current package.”

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“We still have a great car – don’t get me wrong,” Antonelli explicitly points out that the W17 is still competitive. “But of course, it’s normal that there are races like Hungary where we are not the fastest; when other teams bring upgrades and we don’t, things like this happen.”

“I think the upcoming phase, until we bring an upgrade ourselves, could be a bit tougher for us,” teammate Russell nevertheless warns that McLaren and Ferrari may catch up even more in the next races. “But I hope that this upgrade will bring us forward again.”

Balance of power in Formula 1 “constantly changing”

That’s why the pursuers don’t want to celebrate their progress too early either. “Everyone is bringing numerous upgrades. So that should strongly influence the overall picture,” says Oscar Piastri, who also admits that McLaren’s good pace in Hungary was “a bit unexpected.”

“Moreover, Mercedes is currently clearly the benchmark, no matter where we race,” the Australian still sees the Silver Arrows as the favorite. “Sometimes it surprises us that Ferrari is faster or slower on certain tracks; on tracks where we expected them to be extremely strong, they might not be quite as competitive.”

On other tracks, Ferrari was the benchmark again. “So it’s a bit unpredictable for us as well,” emphasizes Piastri. “Everyone is still learning so much – whether it’s about the engines, the cars, or through the new parts – that it’s hardly surprising if the order keeps shifting.”

Furthermore, the race tracks differ, and there are hardly any tracks that really resemble each other in their characteristics, says the McLaren driver. The circuit in Zandvoort is comparable to Budapest in some respects – for example, in cornering speeds – but the asphalt, camber of the corners, and weather conditions are completely different.

“That’s why I believe the balance is constantly changing,” Piastri is convinced that McLaren is not automatically the favorite at the Dutch Grand Prix. And Kimi Antonelli remains quite relaxed in the end. “But I have great confidence in the team and the upgrade that is supposed to come later and hopefully give us an advantage again,” says the Italian with a grin.

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