Source: Official Team Post via X
Toto Wolff's Unseen Team Radio Quip After Antonelli's Penalty Scare
Toto Wolff was caught joking about Kimi Antonelli's track limits issues during the Singapore Grand Prix, suggesting a cushion might help. The jovial moment came after the FIA revoked a penalty that could have affected Antonelli's race.
In a light-hearted moment that didn't make it to broadcast, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff joked about Kimi Antonelli's track limits struggles during the Singapore Grand Prix. The FIA had just revoked one of Antonelli's track limits breaches, sparing him a five-second penalty that could have influenced his final standing.
Antonelli, who finished third behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen, widened his championship lead to 102 points over teammate George Russell. With this buffer, Antonelli could clinch the world title at the upcoming United States Grand Prix.
Despite his podium finish, Antonelli's race wasn't without its hiccups. He committed multiple track limits breaches, risking a penalty that could have altered the outcome. However, Mercedes successfully argued against a breach at Turn 7, a tricky 90-degree corner, during a virtual safety car period.
Even if the penalty had been applied, Antonelli was sufficiently ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris, who finished fourth, so his position would have remained unchanged.
In the team radio exchange, Wolff suggested adding a cushion to Antonelli's seat to keep him from further track limits troubles. "Kimi, well driven. Well done. Maybe we need to have a little cushion under your a**e to have you sit higher with the track limits, but it was very good," Wolff quipped. Antonelli took the jest in stride, replying, "Yeah, we need to consider that!"
During the post-race press conference, Antonelli discussed the brake issues he faced, which were exacerbated by the notorious Singapore heat and running in traffic. "I was just trying to lift and coast before every braking to arrive a bit slower and put less pressure on the pedal," he explained. "Especially on the restart of the VSC, when I went to brake, nothing happened. I had really poor stopping, brake power, and I almost went into the wall."
He noted that the long brake pedal was expected due to the hot weather and running in dirty air for much of the race. Compounding the issue was a sensor failure that left the team without crucial brake temperature data. "We didn’t know exactly what temperature they were running, so it was all about feeling," Antonelli added.
While Antonelli's third-place finish was secure, the race highlighted the challenges of managing car performance under tricky conditions. With three weeks until the next race, Mercedes will have time to address these issues before the final push of the season.