MERCEDES TO INTRODUCE F1 ENGINE FIXES IN AUSTRIA AFTER KIMI ANTONELLI’S BARCELONA GP RETIREMENT

Mercedes will introduce F1 engine fixes in Austria, spurred by Kimi Antonelli's Barcelona Grand Prix retirement. Antonelli confirmed his DNF was due to a component temperature spike glitching the battery, issues also seen in Miami FP1 and George Russell’s Montreal retirement. Mercedes plans a new power unit and an updated battery pack with hardware tweaks and software updates to combat unreliability. Team Principal Toto Wolff stressed these fixes are critical for championship contention, noting Mercedes has left "quite a few points on the table."

Regarding strategy, Antonelli explained Mercedes' simulations showed a two-stop was marginally faster in Barcelona, assuming clean air. Wolff held a clear meeting about team orders: drivers will be instructed if battling under rival pressure and one car shows better pace. Without external pressure, they remain free to race. Antonelli is optimistic the car will perform better on upcoming tracks like the Red Bull Ring, which demands a robust power unit, making the new fixes timely.