Andrea Kimi Antonelli has frankly acknowledged that Mercedes is “clearly not the quickest automobile” on the Method 1 grid, after each its vehicles didn’t topple Lando Norris within the Dutch Grand Prix.
The Italian prolonged his title benefit over teammate George Russell with second place on the ultimate race to be held at Zandvoort, with the Brit third.
However neither might displace Norris, who took secured his back-to-back triumph after a race that was restarted after Max Verstappen’s surprising first lap shunt.
Antonelli has profited from a superior bundle within the W17 to date this season, however with Norris taking his second win of the season, it’s clear that the German marque doesn’t maintain monopoly on the rest of the sphere.
Talking after the race, Antonelli has recognized the Woking-based squad as a vastly-improved workforce because the MCL40 obtained a brand new upgrades bundle in each Hungary and Zandvoort.
“I imply for positive we’re clearly not the quickest automobile anymore on the grid,” he advised media, together with Motorsport Week. “We’re most likely second or third, no less than in at the moment’s race, and McLaren has taken an enormous step, particularly since Hungary, because the large improve bundle they introduced.
“However I’m assured with the workforce.”
Mercedes shall be inching nearer to upgrades of its personal, and Antonelli is assured that it’ll give the workforce “the higher hand” as soon as applied, to assist maintain his cushion within the Drivers’ Championship.
“The workforce has been working tremendous exhausting on this subsequent bundle that’s arising and so they simply wish to ensure that it’s going to work out effectively as soon as we put it on.
“So for positive on this race, it’s going to be extra troublesome, it’s going to be difficult, however we’re able to do our greatest and to maximise each alternative after which hopefully when it’s going to be our flip to interrupt the bundle it’s going to provide us somewhat bit the higher hand once more.”
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