Kimi Antonelli shared his thoughts after further reliability problems affected Mercedes during the Bahrain Formula 1 pre-season test, limiting his running with the W17 ahead of the 2026 season opener.
Winter testing has now concluded, and the next appointment on the Formula 1 calendar will be the first Grand Prix of the season in Australia. However, not everything went smoothly for Mercedes in Bahrain, as Antonelli was forced to stop on track due to an engine issue. For the Italian driver, it was not the first time during these test sessions that he had to remain in the garage because of reliability concerns affecting the W17.
The Brackley-built single-seater continues to be considered one of the favourites within the paddock. Nevertheless, it must be underlined that the start of the campaign with this new generation of cars has not unfolded in the best possible way for the German manufacturer. Time lost during testing is far from ideal, and the team will now have to work intensively to ensure that these recurring issues do not reappear once the season begins.
Kimi Antonelli and the reliability of the Mercedes W17
A touch of misfortune once again struck Antonelli, who for the second time in Bahrain was forced to spend an extended period in the garage due to a power unit problem on his Mercedes. Kimi stopped on track while carrying out his programme during the morning session of Day 3. The Italian did not return to the circuit afterwards, handing the car over to George Russell for the afternoon session. The next outing for car number 12 will therefore be in Melbourne.
“We had a disappointing end to our pre-season testing, with a Power Unit issue that prevented us from running further this morning. We have had several reliability problems here in Bahrain and that has limited the mileage I have been able to complete with the W17,” Kimi underlined.
“It is frustrating for everyone in the team, but this is what testing is for. Before our stoppage today, we had still managed to complete 49 laps and that is a useful learning experience.”
New focus on the 2026 car
In exactly two weeks’ time, the first race weekend of the season will begin, with the cars taking to the track at Albert Park in Melbourne. Mercedes undoubtedly has work to do to avoid unpleasant surprises during the opening Grand Prix of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
“We now have a short turnaround before heading to Melbourne. We have a solid base to build on, but we know we must continue to improve if we want to fight at the front. There are several areas we need to focus on in particular, in addition to improving the overall performance of the car, and everyone at Brackley and Brixworth is already working on it,” the Italian driver added.
While the raw pace of the Mercedes seems competitive, these technical hurdles suggest the team is still grappling with the complexities of the 2026 regulations. The focus now shifts to whether the engineers can translate these “useful lessons” into a bulletproof engine package in time for the lights to go out in Australia.
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