Mercedes no longer have the fastest car in F1, says Antonelli

McLaren's Lando Norris secured his second consecutive pole position victory at the Dutch Grand Prix, while Mercedes teammate George Russell finished behind Norris at the Zandvoort circuit. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli, driving for Mercedes, acknowledged that McLaren has taken a significant leap forward this season, stating that they are no longer the quickest car on the grid.

Norris, however, disagreed with Antonelli's assessment, asserting that if he had not overtaken Antonelli during the race restart, he would have won the race. Both drivers acknowledged that McLaren's upgrades have greatly improved their performance, particularly in high-speed situations. Despite the improvements, Norris expressed uncertainty about whether he could contend for the championship this season, given the substantial points gap between him and Antonelli.

Mercedes' chief Toto Wolff acknowledged that the team's development is constrained by cost-cap regulations, resulting in slower progress compared to what they might have achieved otherwise. McLaren's principal Andrea Stella indicated that Mercedes will likely accelerate their car's development, but he firmly believes that the team will eventually bring upgrades to the track.