Mercedes Technical Director James Allison has publicly defended rookie driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli amidst a string of disappointing performances, attributing the Italian's struggles to the team's own missteps in developing their Formula 1 car. Allison's statements come after Antonelli, who replaced Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes for the 2025 season, has faced a challenging period in the European leg of the season.

The 18-year-old Italian driver, a member of the Mercedes Junior Team since 2019, initially showed promise, securing a podium finish in Canada and a sprint pole in Miami. However, recent races have seen a dip in form, with Antonelli failing to score points and retiring from multiple races. At the Belgian Grand Prix, Antonelli qualified in 18th place and finished the race in 16th, expressing a lack of confidence in the car.

Allison acknowledged the team's responsibility for Antonelli's struggles, stating that Mercedes had "taken the wrong steps with the car, making our team less competitive". He emphasized that Antonelli, along with teammate George Russell, was "paying the price" for these development errors. Trackside Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin echoed this sentiment, explaining that the regression of the W16 car was a key factor in Antonelli's downturn.

Allison expressed hope that Antonelli would take "some solace" from the team's honest assessment and reassurance that they are working to rectify the issues. He added that the team is fully aware that they need to improve the car to reverse Antonelli's fortunes. "If the car isn't where it needs to be, then it will be a struggle getting through the qualifying stages in your rookie season in F1," Allison said.

Shovlin said that Antonelli is receiving extensive engineering support to overcome the performance deficit of the W16. He also noted that George Russell benefits from his experience with challenging F1 cars, allowing him to experiment and instinctively extract more from the W16. Allison believes that improvements to the car will benefit both drivers, with Antonelli potentially gaining even more.

Allison also pointed out that the team's struggles are evident when considering the drivers' feedback on the car's handling. He explained that the W16 has become more unstable under braking and during high-speed turns compared to earlier in the season, making it more difficult to set up for qualifying.

Despite the recent challenges, Mercedes is focused on identifying and correcting the development errors. Allison believes that because the issues are self-inflicted, they should be easier to resolve by retracing their steps and understanding which changes led to the car's decline in performance. Shovlin stated that the team at Brackley is working to improve the car as a whole.

Allison concluded by highlighting the importance of improving the car to support Antonelli's development and unlock his potential. He acknowledged the pressure on the young driver but expressed confidence in Antonelli's effort and commitment. "It's utterly clear to all of us that the thing we need to do is make the car better, and then Kimi's fortunes will reverse with that," Allison affirmed.