George Russell, a British driver for Mercedes AMG F1 W15, discussed how the issues that Mercedes is facing are magnified during low-fuel runs. In the qualifying session for the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix, Russell qualified in ninth place. He was the slowest among the drivers from the top teams in Q3, finishing over two-tenths of a second behind his teammate Lewis Hamilton, who secured a higher position. However, Russell was disappointed with an error he made in the middle sector of his last run, which prevented him from improving his position. He believed that this mistake cost him several places in the pecking order.
Russell explained that before the qualifying session, it was expected that there would be a close competition between Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, and Aston Martin, with only a tenth of a second separating them. However, in qualifying, a single lap can make a significant difference, resulting in a six-position gap. Russell was on a strong lap and was 2.5 tenths of a second faster than his previous time at Turn 11. He expected to finish four tenths of a second ahead but made a small mistake that caused him to lose all the time he had gained. He expressed his disappointment about this missed opportunity.
Mercedes had anticipated difficulties at the Suzuka circuit due to their struggle with high-speed corners. This weekend, they were the fifth-fastest team on one lap. Russell explained that when the fuel is removed during qualifying, the corners become faster, which negatively impacts their pace. He also noted that the calendar had consecutive high-speed circuits, further highlighting their weaknesses. If the season had started with circuits like Bahrain, Baku, and Singapore, the situation for Mercedes would have been different.
Inquired about Mercedes’ understanding of its challenges, Russell responded: “I believe so, we’re currently conducting more significant test measures to address our high-speed performance.
“The vehicle is performing well at low and medium speeds, but we are significantly lacking in high-speed performance compared to our observations at the headquarters. Therefore, we must rectify this issue.
“When it comes to qualifying and the removal of fuel, the speeds continue to increase, which poses a challenge for us. However, during the race, the high-speed corners are approached approximately 30 kph slower, making them more akin to medium-speed corners. It is crucial for us to comprehend this aspect.
“Nevertheless, it is advantageous that these problems have been identified early in the season.”
However, Russell acknowledges that resolving the discrepancy between the simulator data and on-track competitiveness at high speeds is a separate challenge.
“We can observe the issue in the data, but finding a solution is another matter. Thus far, we have tested the car with various aerodynamic specifications in the first four races.
“The most recent specifications used in the past two weeks have displayed slightly more consistency. However, there is still something missing in terms of high-speed performance.
“It is regrettable because I believe we could be much more competitive if we address this issue. In Bahrain, we qualified in third place and were on track for second place in the race before encountering an engine problem. Only time will tell.”
Russell anticipates an intriguing race tomorrow due to the different tire strategies employed by each team at one of the most tire-degrading tracks on the calendar.
“Tomorrow’s race will be fascinating to watch. If we consider the remaining tire choices, we have two sets of Hard tires and one set of Medium tires. Ferrari and Red Bull, on the other hand, only have one set of Hard tires. Fernando Alonso has one set of Hard tires and one set of Medium tires, meaning he will have to complete one stint on Soft tires. As a result, there will be a significant variation in tire strategies among the top 10 cars.”