From 2014 to 2021, the Brackley team achieved victory in the constructors’ championship on eight occasions, with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg securing a total of seven drivers’ titles.
Its form took a dive with the W13 under the new aerodynamic regulations last year, and it has only scored one win over the last two seasons.
Russell has raised concerns about the set-up direction of this year’s W14, particularly following the issue of bouncing at Spa, despite the series of updates that have enhanced its performance.
When asked if he felt more comfortable at Spa, Russell stated that this weekend has confirmed that the set-up direction we have been following in recent races may not have been the correct one.
Today, we experienced significant bouncing issues. Several teams also encountered this problem, although perhaps not to the same extent as us. It is disappointing to witness this challenge persisting in a sport that is considered the best. I am hopeful that a solution can be found to address this matter in the future.
When asked if it was a problem that could be fixed rather than a common occurrence with the updates, he replied, “Yes, it can definitely be adjusted. I believe we are putting in a lot of effort to improve the features for the upcoming year.”
“We are closely examining the performance of Mercedes’ past car models during their successful era, drawing inspiration from their excellence. It is evident that those cars were among the finest in history. Hence, we have gained valuable insights on the direction we should strive to achieve.”
George Russell, Mercedes F1 W14
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Russell currently holds the sixth position in the standings as the summer break approaches. He is two places behind his team-mate Lewis Hamilton, while Mercedes occupies the second position in the teams’ championship, trailing behind the dominant Red Bull squad.
In summarizing the initial part of the campaign, Russell expressed, “The season can be divided into two distinct halves. The first six races were notably successful, while the latter six races were not as impressive. There are a few potential reasons for this, including numerous missed chances throughout the season due to various factors.”
“I have made some mistakes myself, and the failure in Australia resulted in a significant loss of points. However, regardless of these setbacks, if you’re not competing for first place in the drivers’ championship, the main goal is to maximize points for the constructors’ championship. And so far, we are somewhat successful in achieving that.”
“I have confidence that we will perform well in the latter part of the season. Additionally, we have some minor matters to address following the break.”
“I believe we can secure the runner-up position and work towards narrowing that gap even more.”
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