Mercedes to launch Antonelli W17 investigation after British GP

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff confirmed that Kimi Antonelli’s W17 will be dissected back at base after his British Grand Prix victory chances unravelled. 

Antonelli was closing in Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari and appeared poised to claim British Grand Prix victory, only for a fault on the front-left wheel to wreck the championship leader’s race. He eventually finished outside the points, having been penalised for multiple track limits violations.

Mercedes to investigate Antonelli’s W17 failure

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With 10 laps fresher tyres, Antonelli was homing in on Leclerc and the lead of the British Grand Prix. Then, Antonelli slowed and reported an issue.

“It looks like it’s a brake duct with caved in wheel shield,” Wolff reported when discussing the problem on Antonelli’s car with PlanetF1.com and others. “But something got stuck in there, and that’s why he wasn’t able to turn out.”

Antonelli boxed for running repairs, but still struggled to keep his W17 on track at all times.

With his victory hopes dashed, and championship lead slashed, Antonelli’s car will receive a thorough investigation from Mercedes to diagnose what went wrong.

“I’ve seen the car, but it’s not yet clear, really,” said Wolff. “We’re going to take the whole car back to the factory in order to take it apart there to really see where it happened, how it happened, and why we had so severe consequences of him not being able to drive.”

Despite multiple calls to pit and retire, Antonelli pressed on, desperate to salvage even a point with the title in mind.

Sadly for Antonelli, his struggles to steer the Mercedes alerted race control over track limits violations. He received a five-second penalty.

The race finished behind the Safety Car, and Antonelli was classified fifteenth.

Wolff was asked by PlanetF1.com how impressed he was by Antonelli’s perseverance in the wounded W17.

“Yeah, and if it was me, only about me, I would have made the call 10 laps to the end because of safety issues,” said Wolff.

“But then suspension looked okay. That’s the biggest issue.

“He was just basically surviving from lap to lap and saying that he could do that, and at the end, if we are able to get rid of that penalty, if, these points could be decisive in the championship.”

That last part from Wolff hinted at a potential Mercedes appeal over Antonelli’s five-second penalty. Wolff dropped a further hint when asked if there should be more leniency shown by the stewards when Antonelli’s car was obviously damage.

PlanetF1.com understands that there is no intention from Mercedes to appeal Antonelli’s penalty.

“Yeah, I think for the FIA certainly, it’s always difficult to judge is the car so damaged that it should actually come in, and in that case, I think the car was fine,” Wolff stated.

“It was just this one feature that it was really difficult to turn.

“So I hope that they accept that situation, but I don’t know what the outcome is.”

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With Antonelli’s penalty to stand, it means that his championship lead over Mercedes teammate George Russell has been cut to 25 points, after Russell secured P2 at Silverstone.

Lewis Hamilton in third is now only 32 points behind Antonelli.

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

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