Antonelli expects Ferrari ADUO boost to reduce Mercedes gap 'significantly'

It won’t be long before the true impact of the new engine regulations introduced this season becomes clear, with only a handful of races needed to assess who stands to gain the most.

The rules allow manufacturers lagging behind on the power unit side to benefit from extended dyno testing compared to the benchmark — currently set by Mercedes — while also granting scope for additional upgrades based on the performance deficit.

Speaking to Sky Sport Italy, the current championship leader is convinced this will allow the Maranello outfit to take another step forward: “I know there will be some major changes, including the ADUO allowance granted to Ferrari, which will enable them to further develop their engine.”

Despite that, Antonelli remains unfazed, insisting his focus will simply be on delivering the same level of performance shown in recent weekends once he’s out on track.

Eddie Irvine expects tensions between Kimi Antonelli and George Russell to boil over as the season unfolds, with both drivers locked in a closely matched fight and too much on the line for things to remain calm.

In his view, the competitive balance between the two makes conflict almost unavoidable, leaving Toto Wolff with little room to manage the situation through team orders alone.

Irvine also pointed to Wolff’s past experience handling high-pressure intra-team rivalries, from the Hamilton-Rosberg title battles to the clashes involving Verstappen, including their infamous collision at Silverstone. He suggested that even a driver as measured as Hamilton reached a breaking point at times, frustrated by what he saw as overly aggressive racing from the Dutchman.