Mercedes faced a tough day at the Belgian Grand Prix, losing nearly a full second on the straights. Both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton struggled to keep up with their rivals.
Mercedes had a rough practice session at Spa-Francorchamps. The team found themselves trailing by 0.9 seconds on the straights compared to McLaren. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton couldn’t make a significant impact on the first day of running.
McLaren dominated FP2, finishing 1-2, while Mercedes added more downforce. This change improved the overall feel of the car, but didn’t change their performance. Russell ended up sixth, and Hamilton tenth.
Hamilton shared his disappointment, saying, “It was a pretty bad day. It’s been feeling great in the past couple of races, and it just felt completely different today.” He struggled with balance issues and couldn’t make improvements on soft tires.
Russell pointed out that McLaren might have used high engine mode, which could explain their performance. He remains hopeful, stating, “Tomorrow is definitely a different day, and I’m sure we can find a bit more tonight.”
Despite the challenges, Mercedes is working hard to find a solution. They often have strong Fridays but are caught up on Saturdays. They’re optimistic about turning things around this weekend.
Mercedes faces an uphill battle at Spa, but they remain determined to find answers. With strong teamwork and adjustments, they hope to improve their performance in the upcoming sessions.
