Team boss Toto Wolff statesMercedesis examining the top speed problem that delayedGeorge Russellback during the Formula 1 British Grand Prix qualifying session.
Russell finished nearly four tenths behind his teammateKimi AntonelliAt Silverstone, the majority of the time was lost on the Hangar Straight, as Antonelli was approximately 6km/h faster on average. Both Mercedes drivers seemed to employ similar energy recovery methods through the preceding Maggotts-Becketts section, so the telemetry did not indicate a clear difference there. The top speed disadvantage was also visible in sprint qualifying, though to a lesser degree, and in the race, the gap was much smaller, around 3 to 4km/h.
Following the race, Wolff mentioned that the team would need to carry out a more thorough examination of the problem since there was no clear distinction at the power unit level.
He faced a straight-line problem throughout the weekend,” Wolff said. “We couldn’t detect anything regarding engine power. It must have been due to a mechanical issue, whether it was a tow or something else. However, the data clearly showed he was experiencing difficulties, but it was very challenging to determine the exact cause.
That was significantly improved [during the race]. We no longer observed that. However, it’s still something we need to comprehend.
After qualifying on Saturday, Russell commented: “Throughout this weekend, we’ve been facing issues with straight-line speed, and we’re not sure why. When compared to the other Mercedes cars, we lost 6km/h in the last sector and 3km/h in the middle sector. There’s a small difference of a few tenths over the entire lap compared to the other Mercedes cars, so I’m not really sure what’s causing this.”
The group is putting in a lot of effort to figure it out. This morning we believed we had identified the issue since it was present yesterday, but it turned out not to be the cause, which isn’t helping matters. If I’m losing 5km/h on the straight, you know it’s hard to compete.
On Sunday evening, following Russell’s recovery from an additional pit stop caused by a slow flat tire, he secured a second-place finish behind Ferrari’sCharles Leclerc, the British driver acknowledged that his own performance also needed to improve in order to compete with championship leader Antonelli.
“The experience was positive, but the lap times were not fast. As I mentioned, there were factors beyond my control that played a significant role in this, as well as elements within my control,” he stated, entering next week’s Belgian Grand Prix 25 points behind Antonelli.
I’m still having difficulty understanding this car. I will likely depart this weekend, although I’m very thankful to have stood on the podium. I’m leaving with less satisfaction than Canada did when I had to retire from the lead.
If I aim to compete for the title, my performances must improve. I need to enhance myself. I need to collaborate more effectively with my team. We need to make the most of every opportunity. We’re currently in a tight competition withFerrari, so it’s not only Kimi and me, Lewis is still very close. It needs to be enhanced.”
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