Mercedes received’t have the ability to run its improve on each automobiles on the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix on account of repairs wanted after George Russell’s qualifying crash at COTA.
Russell crashed closely on the penultimate nook on Saturday, damaging the automobile to such an extent that Mercedes needed to change specification and work by parc ferme hours to organize it for the race. That led to a pit lane begin for Russell, and crew principal Toto Wolff says there aren’t sufficient spares of the package deal launched final weekend to permit each drivers to run the improve in Mexico.
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The RACER Mailbag, October 23
Racing room for enchancment at COTA
“No, we received’t have [two upgrades],” Wolff stated. “We shall be lacking the ground that wants to return to the UK after which be repaired for Brazil. So we shall be working the specification [separately].
“On Lewis [Hamilton], usually we might have all of the components however I’m not 100% positive that he’s eager on working that. So we’ve received to learn the way we wish to deal with that weekend.”
Hamilton spun off early within the USGP on the identical nook Russell crashed and steered the automobile’s dealing with was a problem, however Wolff stated Mercedes shall be sticking with the brand new components and making an attempt to grasp why its type is fluctuating a lot.
“I don’t suppose we now have a basic subject on the improve, very a lot,” he stated. “I believe it’s extra interplay on aero and on mechanical stuff, and due to this fact we’re going to proceed with the improve. It is not sensible to not, as a result of there’s loads of lap time you permit on the desk, however on the opposite aspect it’s essential to be very open-minded.
“George drove the July improve [at COTA] as a result of we didn’t have the ground and that appeared fairly aggressive within the race. Having stated that, should you’re lacking a couple of tenths in qualifying, that makes a giant distinction as a result of it’s simply inferior to it ought to be.
“So it’s extra about actually getting on high of, why do we now have a automobile that on Friday is by far the quickest – earlier than the [Franco] Colapinto scenario – it was four-tenths up and the final sector was simply bother however he would have been quickest, after which on Saturday it’s remodeled.
“Within the Dash race, we had a damaged suspension. That’s one rationalization. We mounted that within the qualifying, nothing would go anymore and we struggled to have tempo. [On Sunday] an incident in that nook that got here out of nowhere. He was not pushing in any respect. So the place I sit for the time being it’s 100% not Lewis’ fault and that’s to not say that I’m defending him.
“It’s clear it was gusty, there was a slipstream. How does all of that work together? How does Ferrari come from nearly written off earlier than the summer season after which turns it round that they’ve a dominant automobile ending one-two? Heads-up by the way in which to Fred and his crew. Actually spectacular what they’re doing.”
Mercedes has additionally introduced that its 2025 driver Kimi Antonelli will participate in FP1 on Friday in Mexico Metropolis, becoming a member of Ollie Bearman at Ferrari and Pato O’Ward within the McLaren as rookies collaborating.
