George Russell has opened up about Mercedes’ challenges at Spa-Francorchamps, attributing the difficulties to the track’s unique demands rather than recent car upgrades.
Mercedes had a tough time during practice at Spa, with both Russell and Lewis Hamilton struggling on the W15. The team decided to revert to an older floor spec after testing a new one during the first two practice sessions.
Despite the switch, both drivers managed to reach Q3 in a wet qualifying session. Hamilton even secured a third-place grid slot for Sunday’s race after Max Verstappen’s 10-place penalty.
When asked if the old floor was the key to their performance on Saturday, Russell dismissed the idea. He clarified that the new floor had performed well, but they opted for a familiar setup to tackle their notoriously tough track.
Russell explained that Spa has been a challenging circuit for Mercedes for the past three years. Even though the team excels at similar tracks like Barcelona and Silverstone, Spa’s unique characteristics seem to hamper their performance.
He pointed out that Red Bull, on the other hand, often shines at Spa and Austria. This discrepancy has led Mercedes to believe there’s something inherent in their car that works better on specific types of circuits.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff also weighed in, suggesting that the team had initially gotten the mechanical setup wrong on Friday. Adjustments were made for Saturday, resulting in improved performance.
Russell and the team are confident that the recent upgrades are working as expected. They are now focused on understanding their car’s unique quirks to better prepare for tracks like Spa in the future.
While Mercedes faced challenges at Spa, they remain optimistic about their car’s overall performance. The team continues to learn and adapt, aiming to overcome these hurdles.
