Mercedes driver George Russell.
George Russell admitted Mercedes “perhaps overcompensated” with the changes they made to the W15 this year, as a way of trying to improve from the last two seasons.
The team are stuck on one win in the ground effect era – through Russell in the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix – while their fourth-row lockout in Miami had Lewis Hamilton wondering if it was their car’s “true speed”.
Mercedes ‘perhaps overcompensated’ with W15 concept changes
Since the extensive regulation changes of 2022, Mercedes has faced challenges in keeping up with Red Bull. However, the team has implemented substantial modifications to the car this year, aiming to improve their performance and achieve better results in the current season.
Despite Russell and Hamilton’s optimistic views on their car’s potential during pre-season testing, the outcomes have not been in their favor so far. In contrast, Ferrari and McLaren have demonstrated more evident progress in 2024.
Russell acknowledged that Mercedes’ current competitive position is accurately reflected by their seventh and eighth positions on the grid. Although they are aware of the necessary improvements, they understand that it will not be a simple and immediate solution.
After qualifying in Miami, Russell expressed his anticipation for tomorrow, hoping to move forward without any pressure from behind. He stated that we are currently in the position of P7 and P8, to some degree.
I believe we achieved the best possible result today, but I am optimistic about tomorrow. We will take a leap forward and catch up to them.
The truth is, the stopwatch never deceives us, and it is evident that some of the modifications we have implemented since the conclusion of last year may have gone overboard with a few of the development aspects we pursued.
Our current limitations with the car are completely distinct from the limitations we faced a year ago at this time.
“We have exerted considerable effort to address the issues, to the extent that we have somewhat exceeded our intended scope – this realization prompts us to acknowledge the need for swift improvement.”
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When questioned about Mercedes’ ability to resolve the new challenges they are facing, he confidently replied, “Yes, we are certainly equipped with the knowledge to tackle them.”
Upon analyzing the data, it becomes clear why we find ourselves in our current situation.
As mentioned last year, upon analyzing the data, we gain insight into the reasons behind our previous situation. Regrettably, it appears that in our efforts to address last year’s issues, we may have gone too far in the opposite direction. We have transitioned from one extreme to another.
“We must take a step back and regroup, finding ourselves in a transitional phase. However, it is important to note that implementing new upgrades in the car takes approximately eight weeks. Therefore, we need to address this issue and acknowledge that we cannot simply introduce an upgrade in the following race after race one or race two.”
In order to make progress, it is essential to invest time in constructing and designing a wind tunnel. The task involves assembling a team to create detailed plans and sketches, followed by the actual construction process. Once completed, the process is only halfway through, and the season is already underway.
That’s why I believe it’s extremely challenging to make sudden progress when you’re in a disadvantageous position, and yet everyone anticipates immediate results.
“Although we desire it to be delivered tomorrow, we must acknowledge the reality of Formula 1.”
In regards to Hamilton, he clocked a time that was four hundredths of a second slower than Russell during Q3, both using medium tires. Interestingly, Mercedes decided to utilize the yellow-marked tires for their last runs, even though they are theoretically slower than the red-marked soft tires.
Hamilton acknowledged that it was challenging to be significantly behind in terms of overall speed and questioned whether it accurately represented their genuine capabilities. However, he also made a conscious decision to focus on the positive aspects of the situation.
Overall, I’d say it has been a significantly improved day. We made progress in the Sprint race and managed to secure a place in Q3 during qualifying, which is definitely a positive outcome.
Although Q3 wasn’t particularly impressive, I am thankful for the opportunity to be a part of it. However, it is disheartening that we were eight tenths behind.
It’s clear that we were in a battle with the Haas, and I’m uncertain if the speed of our car is genuinely reflected or if it’s due to the tires. I believe there is significant potential in these tires, but we haven’t been able to fully exploit them yet.
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