Kimi Antonelli Warns Mercedes Battery Could Suffer a Big Jolt in Melbourne
Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes predicts his car’s battery system will face a substantial jolt at the Australian Grand Prix, given the intense energy demands at Albert Park.
Since its 2021 reprofile, Albert Park has emerged as one of the fastest venues on the Formula 1 calendar, and those high power needs have already sparked expectations that F1’s all-new battery setup might be pushed to its breaking point.
Antonelli flags potential Mercedes battery strain ahead of the Australian Grand Prix
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Antonelli had two solid test sessions in Bahrain before the season kicked off, with his only notable setback occurring on the final day when he had to stop after 49 laps at the Bahrain International Circuit.
With the new F1 power units distributing power roughly evenly between internal combustion and electric power, drivers must manage battery charging and deployment throughout a lap to maximize lap times.
Albert Park’s layout includes long stretches with minimal braking, including a full-throttle run from Turns 7 to 11, meaning the battery system will be tested to the limit in the season opener.
As a result, Antonelli confirmed he will spend considerable time in the Mercedes simulator after testing, to ensure he’s as prepared as possible for Melbourne’s unique challenges compared with Bahrain.
“Honestly, I’ll be doing a lot,” Antonelli told PlanetF1.com and other outlets about his simulator plans before the Australian Grand Prix.
“But the main goal is to get the deployment right, because Melbourne will feel very different from our recent experiences. For the battery, it’s going to be quite a shock.
“So we need to find the best deployment, and that’s why there will be a lot of sim work—surely a lot for everyone—to nail it.
“Here in Bahrain we had six days of testing, which gave us time to tune and optimize, but in Melbourne we’ll have just three practice sessions before qualifying, so we must be spot on from the very first session.”
Antonelli’s team heads into the new season as strong title contenders, having impressed rivals with the W17’s pace in testing.
Additional reporting by Thomas Maher
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