Paddock Tales: Mercedes-AMG’s F1 surge, new Safety Car debut and GT3 milestones

Mercedes-AMG’s Formula 1 squad sits atop both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships after a dominant first half of the 2026 season. George Russell and Kimi Antonelli combined for eight victories in the opening eleven races, including the season opener in Melbourne on March 8, where the pair shared a celebratory podium moment. Technical director James Allison admitted the team could have scored more points given the car’s competitiveness, but stressed the focus now is on closing the gap in the second half. “If we can keep improving the car while maintaining flawless execution and reliability, we’ll put ourselves in the strongest possible position for the championship run-in,” Allison said. The Silver Arrows also marked a technical milestone in Zandvoort, where the new Official FIA Formula 1 Safety Car made its competitive debut aboard the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 PRO 4MATIC+. Five weeks after its unveiling in Hungary, the V8-powered safety car was deployed during the Dutch Grand Prix to manage wet conditions and a subsequent red flag, guiding the field through formation laps and restart procedures. The GT 63 PRO 4MATIC+ logged combined fuel consumption of 14.1 l/100 km and CO₂ emissions of 319 g/km, placing it in CO₂ class G. Off-track, Mercedes-AMG Performance driver Maro Engel presented the Pirelli Pole Position Award to Lando Norris at the same event, underscoring the brand’s cross-discipline ties between DTM and F1. In GT competition, AKM Motorsport—led by Marco Antonelli, father of Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 driver Kimi Antonelli—prepares for a landmark 250th outing with a Mercedes-AMG GT3 at Imola’s Italian GT Championship round from September 4–6. Antonelli’s team, founded in 1993 as Antonelli Motorsport and rebranded AKM Motorsport, has campaigned AMG machinery across GT3, GT4 and customer formulas since 2019. Marco Antonelli reflected on three decades in motorsport, recalling the team’s origins in a Peugeot 106 before evolving into WTCC campaigns and later GT racing. “It was a natural progression—I was always chasing new challenges,” he said. “I came close to becoming a professional driver myself, but ultimately decided to build my own team.” The 250th GT3 start in Imola caps a remarkable journey that blends family legacy with sustained customer racing success.