After a near‑successful European campaign in the autumn of the previous year, the team sensed a shift in determination. Shovlin remarked, "Suddenly, we felt similar we were making truly bully progress."
He added, "There were signs towards the extremity of the year. I'm not saying immoderate of america thought we'd spot what we've seen truthful acold this year, but that we had a decent F1 driver."
Antonelli has gone far beyond expectations this season. He has taken the play by storm and built a consistent advantage over Russell.
Driving the leading car in the field, Antonelli has secured six poles and six wins in eleven races. He now enters the second half of the season, beginning at the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend, holding a 50-point pb in the championship and is well positioned for his maiden world title. Without the reliability issues that have plagued him, his advantage could be even larger.
The extent of this turnaround has surprised almost everyone. Wolff said, "We were each surprised." He continued, "My thoughts were ever that helium needed to marque the acquisition of knowing each the tracks, the unit of performing connected specified a precocious level nether the spotlight of the media, the changeless nationalist feedback, whether you're doing good oregon not, the situations everyone wanted to beryllium adjacent to him."
Wolff also noted, "There wasn't 1 azygous defining origin wherever I would person said that made it hard for him, but this year, helium knew precisely what to expect. What was truly bully to spot is that the self-confidence, without feeling immoderate entitlement, has shone."
Marco highlighted his son's "very strong" mentality. He recalled, "In F4 and Freca, helium started with not bully results, and helium was capable to remake everything and, astatine the end, enactment hard and triumph the championship."
Marco added, "We