George Russell, the Mercedes driver, credits the energy of the home crowd as the only reason he’s still smiling after the team endured a difficult Friday at the British Grand Prix. With both Russell and Lewis Hamilton struggling with the revised W14 car, Mercedes faced a challenging FP1 session, and the drivers ended up in 12th and 15th positions at the end of Friday’s running.
Russell revealed that Mercedes initially had some optimism about their chances after a decent showing in FP1 on the medium tire compound. However, their confidence was shattered in FP2 when they found themselves lacking pace. Russell believes that the hotter temperatures have had a negative impact on the team’s performance, and they need to analyze the data to understand the reasons behind it.
In addition to the temperature challenge, the windy conditions at Silverstone further complicated matters and prevented Mercedes from accurately assessing the effectiveness of their latest upgrade. Russell admitted that the team made several changes between the practice sessions, but they may not have compensated enough for the conditions or the learning process.
Despite the difficulties, Russell remains hopeful and finds solace in the support of the home crowd. Racing in front of his home fans gives him something to be positive about and fuels his determination to bounce back stronger on the following day.
“It’s why I’ve still got half a smile on my face. It gives me something to be positive about and still got the energy to have a good night’s sleep and come back stronger tomorrow,” Russell explained.
While Mercedes faced challenges on Friday, they will continue to analyze the data and make adjustments to improve their performance for qualifying and the race day.
