George Russell, a driver for Mercedes AMG F1, expressed the need for his team to analyze and comprehend the unexpected speed they displayed during the second practice session of the Bahrain Grand Prix. During pre-season testing, Mercedes had received positive feedback on their 2024 car, with both drivers stating that it was easier to handle than its predecessor. However, it was during the twilight conditions of the practice session that Lewis Hamilton secured the fastest time, followed closely by Russell. Despite this strong showing, Russell acknowledged that Max Verstappen still had superior race pace. He emphasized the need for Mercedes to remain grounded and not get carried away with their current performance. Russell also mentioned that they had made some changes to the car since testing, which exceeded their expectations. However, he emphasized that race pace was the crucial factor and that Mercedes still had a fight on their hands against other competitors such as Alonso, Norris, and the Ferraris. Russell hoped that the increase in performance was not just a one-off and that they could sustain it to secure a strong position on race day. He acknowledged that while the gap to Verstappen had reduced, the Red Bull driver still had a healthy margin ahead of the others. Therefore, Russell concluded that Mercedes was not yet back to their full potential and still had work to do in order to compete with the top contenders.
In a recent interview, Hamilton expressed his agreement with his teammate’s opinions, acknowledging that Mercedes needs to make improvements in order to compete with Red Bull. Hamilton admitted that it was surprising to see their current position, but they will accept it for now. However, he emphasized the importance of staying focused and continuing to work on their car’s setup to extract more performance. Hamilton also acknowledged that their long run pace is far behind that of the Red Bulls, indicating that there is still a lot of work to be done. When asked about his chances of securing a podium finish in the race, Hamilton remained cautious but believed that they would be in the mix. He mentioned Ferrari, Aston Martin, and McLaren as potential contenders and anticipated a close and exciting battle. Hamilton also noted that if Max, referring to Max Verstappen, is leading the race, he will likely maintain his dominance as he has done in previous years.