In the last three races, Russell achieved a fifth-place finish and two sixth-place finishes, while his teammate Lewis Hamilton secured a podium finish and two fourth-place results. Mercedes was in competition with McLaren and Ferrari to determine which team was the second-fastest.
Since the Austrian Grand Prix weekend at the start of July, Russell has said on several occasions that “things aren’t clicking” between him and the W14.
When team boss Toto Wolff was asked about Russell’s dip in form, he said the difficulty of finding a sweet spot in this year’s car has affected Russell.
Wolff expressed that these cars are in a precarious situation, where one can easily lose confidence and veer off.
“If you find yourself in that specific range of optimal conditions – although it should be noted that the car in question lacks such a range – but if you are more attuned to predicting its next actions, I believe there is a significant distinction.”
Chief technical officer Mike Elliot concurred that the need for this era of ground-effect cars to be run close to the ground makes it harder to maintain the right balance around a lap.
Elliot expressed that he believes driving these cars becomes challenging when they are operating at a low height.
Finding the correct balance while maneuvering through the corner can be challenging, as well as managing the stiffness of the cars.
George possesses exceptional driving skills. I am confident that George will swiftly accomplish his objectives upon exiting the vehicle.
George Russell, Mercedes F1 W14, Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR23
Photo by: Michael Potts / Motorsport Images
Russell remains unconvinced that the alteration in the car’s design for Monaco has negatively affected him, since the overall sensation in the car has remained relatively consistent from the beginning of the season.
After the revamp, he achieved his sole podium finish of the season by securing third place in Spain.
“I don’t believe so. I think it’s simply a matter of your rhythm,” he responded when questioned about whether his decline in performance had any connection to the upgrades.
The car’s sensation is quite similar to how it was at the beginning of the year. There have been a few minor adjustments, but they are unrelated to the updates.
Occasionally, circumstances align in your favor and you feel a surge of confidence. At times, however, you may experience a slight dip in confidence, which can have a ripple effect on other aspects of your life.
After the conclusion of the Belgian Grand Prix, which was the last event before the summer break, Russell felt more optimistic about addressing the problem during the remaining part of the season. He had discovered some explanations for the unsuccessful set-up choices he had made recently.
“After completing the Spa-Francorchamps race in sixth place, he expressed that the initial six races displayed remarkable performance, whereas the subsequent six races were comparatively weaker. He further elaborated that there are a couple of theories as to why this might be the case.”
“This weekend has validated probably the direction we’ve taken with the set-up in recent races hasn’t been the right one.
“It can certainly be adjusted.”
Jonathan Noble and Adam Cooper also contributed to the reporting.
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