Formula 1 Sunday once again placed Kimi Antonelli at the center of attention, this time for the praise coming from Nico Rosberg. The 2016 champion underscored the maturity of the 20-year-old Italian, who has won eight of the 14 rounds contested and leads the championship with an 81-point advantage over George Russell. Rosberg stated that even Toto Wolff would be impressed by the way Antonelli has been handling the pressure of the championship battle.
Within Mercedes itself, the contest between Antonelli and Russell will remain free, but with limits. Andrew Shovlin explained that the team prefers not to interfere in the battles between its drivers, as long as they respect the level considered acceptable, citing the Montreal showdown as more intense than Mercedes would like to see.
At Red Bull, Isack Hadjar remains without a guaranteed return. The French driver has missed the last three races due to a wrist fracture, and Laurent Mekies stated that he will first go through the simulator. The team only plans to release him when he is close to 100%, avoiding rushing his comeback and compromising long-term recovery.
The end of the season also continues to be shrouded in questions. Imola is being treated behind the scenes as a possible substitute for the championship finale should the Middle East rounds not take place, but a December race would require earlier start times due to the circuit’s lack of lighting. The FOM, however, still officially keeps Qatar and Abu Dhabi on the calendar.
Fernando Alonso also surfaced in the headlines with a significant possibility for 2027. The Spaniard would be considering leaving Formula 1 after this season and returning to the World Endurance Championship with Aston Martin, a category in which he has previously been champion and won the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice. The move, however, remains a possibility, with no confirmation yet.
Meanwhile, Red Bull explained a recurring complaint from Max Verstappen about the RB22. According to Mekies, when the Dutchman says the car is “broken,” he does not refer to a physical fault but to the loss of suspension performance as sessions and races progress, a problem the team is still seeking to resolve definitively. Sergio Pérez, for his part, expects that the Cadillac will receive in Baku the updated Ferrari power unit, aiming to reduce some of the car’s current limitations.
