Mercedes Confirms Bono as Antonelli's Race Engineer for 2025

Mercedes has officially confirmed its race engineer lineup for the 2025 season, keeping Marcus Dudley with George Russell and assigning Peter "Bono" Bonnington to rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The move pairs the highly respected Bonnington, Lewis Hamilton's long-time engineer, with the team's exciting new talent, while Bonnington also retains his role as Head of Race Engineering. This decision solidifies the team's structure as it prepares for a new era following Hamilton's departure.

Why it matters:

• Stability for Russell: Maintaining the Russell-Dudley pairing ensures continuity for a driver poised to be the team's clear leader and primary title contender.
• A Master for the Rookie: Assigning Bonnington to Antonelli is a significant move. Bono's experience in developing a seven-time world champion is an invaluable asset for a rookie's integration and growth in the high-pressure environment of F1.
• The Critical Relationship: The decision underscores the immense importance of a strong driver-engineer bond, a factor that has reportedly been a challenge for Lewis Hamilton in his early days at Ferrari.

The details:

• George Russell will continue to work with Marcus Dudley, his Senior Race Engineer, as the pair aims to build on their established rapport.
• Andrea Kimi Antonelli will be guided by Peter "Bono" Bonnington, who will combine his Senior Race Engineer duties with his existing role as Head of Race Engineering for the team.
• Bonnington has been with the Mercedes F1 team since its inception in 2010 and was the race engineer for Lewis Hamilton throughout his entire championship-winning tenure with the Silver Arrows.
• Despite speculation that he might follow Hamilton to Ferrari, Bonnington's contract with Brackley kept him at Mercedes, a move that now benefits their rising star.

What's next:

All eyes will be on the communication and synergy between Antonelli and Bonnington during pre-season testing and the early races. A successful partnership could be key to accelerating the Italian's adaptation to F1 and unlocking his potential. For Russell, the challenge is to leverage his stable relationship with Dudley to mount a serious and consistent championship challenge. With its engineering leadership now solidified, Mercedes can focus its full attention on the performance of its 2025 car as it aims to close the gap to rivals.