Shovlin says Mercedes’ US GP win looked out of reach after Friday

Kimi Antonelli’s victory in the United States Grand Prix extended his championship lead. After the race, Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin said Friday’s single-lap and long-run pace had made a win seem unachievable. He described the shift from Friday’s outlook to Sunday’s win as remarkable.

Shovlin said Mercedes had seen encouraging signs in the car’s pace, but finding the right set-up had become a little more difficult since an update.

Shovlin described George Russell’s afternoon as frustrating. An opening-lap penalty for going off track did not help, he said; after a strong start to his second stint, Russell got stuck behind Oscar Piastri and could not pass.

Shovlin said the strategic choices were not clear-cut, but Mercedes stuck with a one-stop and made the right call; he also said the pit stops were solid. He called Antonelli’s qualifying and race performances exceptional after a difficult Friday.