Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was left frustrated and puzzled following the team’s lackluster performance at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, describing it as their “worst performance of the year so far.” Despite high expectations after a strong start to the 2025 Formula 1 season, the Silver Arrows struggled to find pace, with George Russell finishing fifth and rookie Kimi Antonelli crossing the line in sixth at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
Coming into the race second in the constructors’ championship, Mercedes had shown promise with three podiums from Russell in the opening four races, including a runner-up finish in Bahrain. However, the high-speed street circuit in Jeddah exposed unexpected weaknesses in the W16 car, leaving Wolff and his team grasping for explanations. “The pace just dropped away with blistering, overheating tires, and so far we haven’t got an explanation,” Wolff told reporters, visibly exasperated.
The race saw McLaren’s Oscar Piastri claim victory, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc rounding out the podium. Mercedes, despite starting strong with Russell in third and Antonelli in fifth on the grid, couldn’t keep up with the leaders. Russell was overtaken by Leclerc and McLaren’s Lando Norris, who recovered from a poor qualifying, while Antonelli, though solid, lacked the speed to challenge for a higher position.
Wolff highlighted the stark contrast between their qualifying pace and race performance as particularly confounding. “The fact that we were quick in qualifying made the frustration deeper,” he said, noting that the team had anticipated being competitive for a podium. Instead, tire degradation and overheating issues plagued both drivers, with Wolff admitting, “We need to analyze our performance, work out why that was the case, and quickly find improvements.”
Despite the setback, Wolff reserved praise for Antonelli, the 18-year-old Italian rookie who has impressed in his debut season. Antonelli, the third-youngest F1 driver ever, finished just seven seconds behind Russell and managed his tires well in the second stint, avoiding the severe degradation that hampered his teammate. “Kimi has made a strong start to his rookie season, scoring in four out of the first five Grands Prix,” Wolff noted, offering a silver lining to an otherwise disappointing weekend.
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix marked the end of the first triple-header of the 2025 season, with the next race scheduled for the Miami Grand Prix on May 2-4. For Mercedes, the break provides a critical opportunity to diagnose their performance issues. “We manage our expectations being the second quickest, and even that is not obviously what we would wish to achieve,” Wolff admitted. “It just adds to the frustration of the situation.”