Nico Rosberg has urged Toto Wolff handy Kimi Antonelli a brand new Mercedes F1 contract to alleviate the “horrible” strain he’s dealing with after one other disappointing qualifying show on the Belgian Grand Prix.
Antonelli has endured a troublesome run of kind, as he was knocked out in Q1 at Spa-Francorchamps.
The Italian additionally struggled within the dash a part of the weekend, spinning off in SQ1 and qualifying behind the sphere.
Reflecting on Antonelli’s tough run of races, Rosberg referred to as on his former boss to offer the 18-year-old a brand new contract.
Like Mercedes teammate George Russell, Antonelli is out of contract on the finish of the yr.
Given Mercedes’ curiosity in Max Verstappen, Rosberg feels {that a} new contract would give him much-needed confidence.
“What I’d do in Toto’s case can be signing a contract with him,” Rosberg mentioned.
“It’s not a lot cash. It will give him such a lift of confidence after which if by any probability it actually goes unhealthy in direction of the top of the yr you’ll be able to nonetheless pay him out and make a change as we’ve all the time seen in F1 however simply by signing that contract, it could give him actually this one step change of consolation, leisure, time. I feel that could possibly be one thing fascinating.”
Rosberg has backed Antonelli to get well from his lowly grid place, with rain a risk on Sunday.
“In Australia, he nearly completed on the rostrum from all the best way again there. He completed fourth if I’m not mistaken,” Rosberg added.
“He can do the identical tomorrow, why not? If the circumstances are combined and all over. Something is feasible. It actually hurts me to see him in an interview like that as a result of I can tremendous relate how robust and the way horrible the second is for him. George once more is P6 and he’s down all the best way nearly on the finish of the grid. It’s so, so robust.
“All people is criticising you and you a little bit bit negatively and internally, it’s a really troublesome dynamic. He doesn’t have a contract for subsequent yr both so his entire dream can also be at play right here. It’s horrible for him.”
Antonelli to start out from the pit lane
Antonelli revealed after qualifying that he plans to start out from the pit lane.
By doing this, he’ll be capable to change his automobile setup and adapt it to the climate.
“I feel I’ve been missing confidence to be trustworthy right this moment greater than yesterday,” Antonelli defined.
“Simply struggling to get the perfect out of the automobile. For certain, it’s a bit trickier now. Only a troublesome second to be trustworthy. I would like to seek out the sunshine out of the tunnel once more.
“Hulkenberg final race – he went from P19 to P3 so it could be superb to do the identical factor. It seems prefer it’s going to rain however we’ll begin from the pit lane simply because we need to change the automobile and attempt to construct from there.”
