Overview

• Mercedes acknowledged that simulator problems disrupted Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s preparation for Zandvoort and Monza, with Andrew Shovlin saying the team must share responsibility.
• Shovlin said Antonelli completed two or three race distances on the simulator before Baku, a push the team directly connected to a stronger weekend on track.
• Antonelli finished fourth in Azerbaijan in what Toto Wolff described as a “really good rebound” following a difficult European run.
• The Race reported that the limited simulator running Antonelli did have used an unrealistically high grip level, a detail not confirmed by Mercedes.
• Technical chief James Allison emphasized delivering clean, well-managed weekends for the rookie, while Ralf Schumacher suggested the Baku form lessens any case for Mercedes to pursue Carlos Sainz.