Toto Wolff has hailed Kimi Antonelli’s System 1 United States Grand Prix drive as “the race of a champion who isn’t the champion but”, with the Mercedes driver now needing solely ninth place or larger in Mexico Metropolis to take the title.
Antonelli turned a pole begin right into a win on the Circuit of the Americas, whereas teammate George Russell endured a troublesome weekend with a first-lap penalty leaving him eighth.
Requested whether or not the hole between his drivers got here right down to Antonelli’s brilliance or a poor weekend from Russell, the Mercedes group principal mentioned it was each.
“On Kimi’s aspect, clearly the principle headline is that, for me, [it was] the very best race that he’s delivered to date,” Wolff informed media. “Getting off the beginning with the inferior tyre after which controlling it always.”
Antonelli began on the medium compound, with front-row rival Max Verstappen, each Ferraris and Isack Hadjar’s Pink Bull all on softs.
“The race of a champion who isn’t the champion but, however distinctive,” Wolff continued. “So I feel he’s outperformed the automotive. Possibly it’s a bit harsh to say, however I feel his driving model is simply glued to the automotive.
“We noticed that in qualifying yesterday. On his final lap, he might have been one other tenth and a half or two [quicker].”
Toto Wolff reveals George Russell’s struggles
Russell, nevertheless, struggled all weekend, which Wolff put right down to how troublesome the automotive is to maintain in its working window.
“George simply struggled a lot. And I consider it is because the operational window of the automotive is so troublesome,” he mentioned. “In Q2 he was there and thereabouts; in Q3 it didn’t work. He mentioned that’s on him.”
Russell, who certified sixth, was penalised on the opening lap. Whereas chasing Hadjar, he went off at Flip 12, and the stewards dominated he had gained a bonus over Oscar Piastri, who was working behind. They reduce the standard 10-second penalty to 5, however serving it at his pit cease dropped Russell behind the McLaren, and he couldn’t discover a well beyond earlier than the flag.
Wolff felt the end result was harsh.
“We obtained caught behind Piastri, which appears a bit unfair. I don’t know why he didn’t get previous,” he mentioned. “It’s the identical engine, it’s the identical electrical charging and deployment. However I’m going to see him.”
Wolff added that the group would examine why Russell’s automotive underperformed, pointing to Mercedes’ newest improve.
“I feel the replace we placed on the automotive is troublesome to function,” he mentioned. “We are going to attempt to retrace each choice that we took, and correlate [it] with the shortage of efficiency on Friday and the relative outperformance on Sunday.
“However not less than the optimistic information is that the automotive works. Now it’s about widening the window.”