Following a poor performance at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, George Russell expressed concern about fundamental problems integrated into Mercedes` car design, potentially affecting the 2025 model.
Finishing seventh after starting third marked his lowest race result of the current season.
Although a strategic error and ill-timed Virtual Safety Car influenced the result, Russell`s primary disappointment stemmed from the car`s overall lack of speed in the warm Italian weather.
Speaking to reporters, he noted a consistent pattern: “The trends are quite obvious. We lack pace in hot conditions but are fast when it`s cold. This was true last year as well. Despite numerous setup adjustments to find fixes, the issue appears to be deeper within the car itself.”
Despite being fourth in the championship, 47 points behind leader Oscar Piastri, Russell had previously outperformed the car`s inherent pace relative to McLaren and sometimes Red Bull, securing four podium finishes in the first six races before Imola.
He added: “This isn`t the first race this year where we`ve been slower than Ferrari, or even on par with or slower than Williams, yet we`ve somehow managed to extract a result. Honestly, today we were quite fortunate to finish seventh.”
“We need to react quickly”
Despite challenges faced by the team and competitors like Ferrari showing fluctuating speed, Mercedes is currently second in the Constructors` standings, although significantly behind McLaren (132 points).
Mercedes` performance last season also showed a temperature dependency, being stronger in cooler weather but struggling more against the leading cars in warmer conditions.
Mercedes had introduced front suspension and wing upgrades in Imola with considerable optimism, but they didn`t seem to improve performance noticeably.
Russell commented further: “I wouldn`t say we`re completely out of ideas for the tires, but as I mentioned, the issue seems integrated into the car`s design. For example, a few years back, Ferrari was incredibly fast in qualifying but struggled in races. Now they`ve reversed that, and they don`t fully grasp why. Therefore, we urgently need to find a better balance, especially as the next races are approaching summer, which historically isn`t favorable for us. We need swift solutions.”
