George Russell, the Mercedes driver, expressed surprise at the impressive pace displayed by Charles Leclerc in his Ferrari during the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. Leclerc secured a podium finish behind the Red Bull duo of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez after inheriting pole position due to Verstappen’s grid penalty.
Leclerc’s strong performance came as a surprise to Russell and the Mercedes team, as they hadn’t anticipated Ferrari being so quick at Spa. The SF-23 seemed to adapt well to the challenges posed by the track, showing significant improvement compared to their performance in Budapest the previous week.
Even though Lewis Hamilton, Russell’s teammate, was initially chasing Leclerc for the final podium spot, he decided to pit towards the end of the race to secure an extra point for the fastest lap.
Mercedes faced additional challenges during the race, with both drivers reporting the return of car bouncing issues that have been a concern since last year. Meanwhile, McLaren continued to showcase their progress, adding to the competitive nature of the race.
Despite the surprise at Ferrari’s pace, Russell acknowledged that Mercedes is in a good position in the teams’ championship, which provides some reassurance. His race also had a recovery element to it, as he was involved in a situation caused by contact between McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz at La Source. Russell found himself behind Piastri, who began to slow on the hill towards Eau Rouge, leading to a chain reaction of drivers taking evasive action, resulting in Piastri’s eventual retirement.
The Belgian Grand Prix offered a mix of unexpected challenges and fierce competition, leaving the teams to regroup and strategize for the upcoming races in the fiercely competitive 2023 Formula 1 season.
