George Russell has admitted concern over “baked in” points with Mercedes’ 2025 automotive following a disappointing exhibiting on the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
The Brit posted his worst grand prix results of the season as far as he completed seventh at Imola, having dropped backwards from third on the grid.
Whereas a poor technique name and misfortune on the timing of a Digital Security Automobile performed an element within the consequence, Russell was left downcast by a common lack of tempo within the heat Italian situations.
He informed Sky Sports activities F1: “The trends are pretty clear. When it’s hot, we’re slow. When it’s cold, we’re quick. That was the same last year.
“We have been doing all the pieces with the setup to try to discover options, however there’s clearly one thing extra elementary within the automotive.”
Russell is fourth within the drivers’ standings, 47 factors again from chief Oscar Piastri, however has defied inferior tempo to the Australian’s McLaren workforce – and infrequently additionally Purple Bull – to attain 4 podiums within the opening six rounds of the season that preceded Imola.
He continued: “It is not the primary race for this season the place we have been slower than Ferrari, even slower or the identical tempo as Williams, however we have simply one way or the other managed to get a outcome out of it on these events.
“But today we were very lucky to finish P7 in all honesty.”
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Esteban Ocon’s yellow flag triggered a flurry of pit stops, which resulted in a number of shut requires these drivers
‘We have to suppose fast’
Regardless of Russell’s team-mate Kimi Antonelli retiring from his first race on house soil with a throttle subject, Max Verstappen’s lack of assist at Purple Bull, and Ferrari’s common lack of pace, imply Mercedes are second within the Constructors’ Championship, albeit already 132 factors again from McLaren.
Final season Mercedes’ efficiency was higher in cooler situations, with Russell and his former team-mate Lewis Hamilton sharing two wins apiece but additionally usually struggling to match the front-runners at hotter occasions.
The Silver Arrows launched entrance suspension and wing upgrades in Imola that there had been fairly important optimism round forward of the occasion, however finally did not seem to assist.
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Sky F1’s Ted Kravitz displays on all the large speaking factors from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Russell added: “I wouldn’t say we are running out of ideas to solve the tyres, but as I said, it’s sort of baked into the car.
“You take a look at Ferrari a number of years in the past, they was once mega fast in qualifying and sluggish within the race. Now they’ve sort of finished a U-turn, they usually additionally do not actually perceive why that’s.
“So, we need to find a better compromise, especially ahead of the next race. We’re approaching summer and it doesn’t really bode well for us. We need to think quick.”
Subsequent up in F1’s European triple-header is the Jewel within the Crown, the Monaco Grand Prix on Might 23-25, with protection beginning this Friday dwell on Sky Sports activities F1. Stream Sky Sports activities with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime
