George Russell concedes Mercedes do not ‘understand’ key issue at Hungarian Grand Prix

Follow us on Google Discover

George Russell has conceded that Mercedes still ‘need to understand’ a key issue that continues to puzzle the Silver Arrows after a tough start at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The Brackley outfit have largely turned a corner with their performances having started this season on the wrong foot. Back-to-back wins at the Austrian GP with Russell and British GP with Lewis Hamilton came in stark contrast to neither one taking a podium until round nine.

Russell gifted Mercedes their first rostrum of the 2024 Formula 1 season at the Canadian GP, where he also took pole position. Hamilton then made it two from two at the Spanish GP for his first podium this year. But Mercedes may struggle to earn a podium at the Hungarian GP.

George Russell admits Mercedes do not understand why they struggle in hot conditions

Even team principal Toto Wolff admits that Mercedes are unlikely to threaten Red Bull in the Hungarian GP on Sunday. It is expected to be the hottest race of the season so far, which will not suit the W15. The Silver Arrows’ car has seldom shone in any hotter conditions this year.

Russell also concedes that Mercedes still do not understand why the W15 lacks race pace in hot conditions. While they had the fastest car on the circuit in the dry but cool conditions at Silverstone, the W15 was slower than the Red Bull and McLaren cars in Austria and in Spain.

READ MORE: Five unforgettable Hungarian Grand Prix including Alonso and Hamilton’s spat

After Mercedes also appeared off their rivals’ pace during the race simulations in FP2 for the Hungarian GP, Russell expects the main fight will be between Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Lando Norris of McLaren. Mercedes, meanwhile, must go back to Brackley and find out why.

“In the race run, Lando and Max look a little bit out in front,” Russell told Sky Sports. “We need to understand because in the hot conditions of Austria and Barcelona, we were off the pace of those two drivers.

“In the cooler conditions of Silverstone, we were ahead of those two. That’s something we need to work on.”

Mercedes’ FP2 race simulations at the Hungarian GP were slower than Red Bull’s

Verstappen and Norris’ race pace in the Spanish GP was largely on par with the Red Bull and McLaren drivers averaging within one-hundredth of a second of each other. But Hamilton as Mercedes’ fastest racer was averaging around three-tenths of a second slower than the pair.

It was a similar story in the Austrian GP, too, as Norris’ average lap time was under one-tenth of a second slower than Verstappen’s. Russell was Mercedes’ quickest driver in the race this time, but his average lap time was around four-tenths of a second slower than Verstappen’s.

FP2 for the Hungarian GP offered bleak reading for Mercedes, too. Russell’s average lap time with the medium tyres was over four-tenths of a second down on Sergio Perez’s benchmark. Verstappen was also marginally faster than Russell, while Hamilton did his race sim on softs.