24 February 2026Racingnews365RumorDriver Ratings
Kimi Antonelli identifies race starts as a key Mercedes weakness
Kimi Antonelli admits Mercedes is struggling with the new, more complex race start procedure, identifying it as a team weakness. While Ferrari's power unit appears strong on launches, Antonelli says Mercedes made progress during testing but still has significant work to do to match its rival off the line.
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli has openly stated that race starts are a current "weak point" for the team, highlighting a critical area of concern as the new F1 season begins. The issue stems from a complex new start procedure introduced with the 2026 power unit regulations, which has caught several drivers out during pre-season testing in Bahrain.