Overview

• At Zandvoort, Toto Wolff said Mercedes may have erred by thrusting Andrea Kimi Antonelli into the spotlight with a Monza FP1 debut and accepted the rookie is under an intense microscope.
• Kimi Antonelli acknowledged the extra demands of starting at a top team but said he is glad he began at Mercedes and views this season primarily as a learning year.
• After early highs including a Miami sprint pole and a Montreal podium, Antonelli has only two points finishes in his last eight grands prix and slid into the gravel in Friday practice.
• George Russell said he personally paused Mercedes contract talks during the summer break to rest, with negotiations resuming this week and no deadline set.
• Wolff called a new Russell contract a formality, and talks are progressing toward a multi-year extension according to Sky Sports, following earlier delays linked to Max Verstappen speculation.