Mercedes admitted that it is still very early in the season to prioritize Kimi Antonelli or George Russell in the fight for the Formula 1 title, despite the threat from Lewis Hamilton.
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The German team has been the big highlight of the new regulations, winning eight of the first 11 races on the calendar – six with the Italian and two with the British driver. In this, it leads both the Drivers’ Championship with Antonelli and the Constructors’ Championship.
With 12 races still to go until the end of the championship, Bradley Lord, Mercedes’ deputy team principal, stated that it is not yet necessary to prioritize one name from the driver duo. “If a Mercedes can win the race, a Mercedes should win the race,” he said.
“That comes first; the team is above all, and the constructors’ championship is the main focus and goal of the team. We saw the battle swing to the point where, I believe, it was said that there was only one possible winner for the championship; then, within three races, we saw that scenario change completely,” he continued.
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“It is too early to even think that way. We want to win both championships, without a doubt, and we will increase our chances of achieving that by bringing both cars to the finish line as often as possible and in the best possible positions. The focus is this: ensuring the reliability and speed of the cars and then allowing the drivers to give their best in the fight for the drivers’ championship,” he added.
“But, as I said, the fundamental principle is: if a Mercedes can win, a Mercedes should win. It doesn’t matter which of the two cars it is; we will do what is necessary to ensure that the fastest of them on that specific Sunday gets the victory. That is our priority,” he concluded.
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