Mercedes no longer have the fastest car in F1, says Antonelli

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands, Aug 24 : McLaren have taken a big step forward and Mercedes no longer have the quickest car in Formula One, championship leader Kimi Antonelli said after Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix.

McLaren's reigning champion Lando Norris celebrated his second win in a row from pole position at Zandvoort, with Antonelli and Mercedes teammate George Russell second and third ahead of Ferrari pair Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

"We’re clearly not the fastest car anymore on the grid," said Antonelli, who won five races in a row earlier in the season.

"We’re probably second or third, at least in today’s race, and McLaren has taken a huge step, especially since Hungary, since the big upgrade package they brought."

Norris, who lost out to Antonelli at the race restart and then had to overtake him on track, questioned that assertion however.

"I don’t think it’s true. I think if I didn’t get Kimi when I overtook him, I don’t think I would have won the race," he said.

"For once I would give myself a little bit of credit that I feel like I’m doing a better job than everyone, and I think that can also make a difference.

"We certainly have a car now capable of beating them ... but I think they have a better all-round performing car than what we do."

Zandvoort, and Budapest's Hungaroring before that, played to McLaren's strengths but some of the tracks coming up may be less favourable.

Ferrari can be expected to go well at their home grand prix at Monza early next month, with upgrades in the pipeline, while Antonelli faces hefty grid penalties for an engine change.

A TOUGHER RIDE

Mercedes are still way ahead of Ferrari and McLaren in the constructors' championship and scored more points (46 to McLaren's 43 and Ferrari's 31) than