Lewis Hamilton’s seventh-place finish and George Russell’s eighth-place finish at the Red Bull Ring left the Mercedes team dissatisfied with their performance. Despite their efforts, Hamilton trailed winner Max Verstappen by a significant 39-second margin. Verstappen’s lead could have been even more substantial had he not made a late pitstop to secure the bonus point for the fastest lap.
Hamilton faced challenges with the balance of his car and received a 5-second penalty for exceeding track limits, which was served during his pitstop. Team boss Toto Wolff even advised Hamilton to refrain from complaining about the performance of his W14 car.
The disappointing outcome for Mercedes came as a surprise, considering their recent double podium in Spain and Hamilton’s third-place finish in Canada following a radical upgrade introduced at the Monaco Grand Prix.
George Russell expressed his dismay at the team’s unexpected drop in pace, stating that the performance was “substantially worse” than anticipated. He pointed out that the car had remained unchanged since the race in Barcelona two events ago, where they had a strong showing. Russell speculated that the tires might be a factor, emphasizing the need to investigate further.
Russell acknowledged the impressive performance of McLaren’s Lando Norris, who finished fifth, and expressed surprise at the team’s success. He highlighted the importance of understanding why Mercedes struggled while having a fast car in specific conditions.
Mercedes found themselves finishing behind two customer cars powered by their engines, with Norris leading the way for McLaren and Fernando Alonso securing a sixth-place finish for Aston Martin.
Toto Wolff described the race as a “bruising” experience for Mercedes, acknowledging the team’s lack of pace. He observed that the team had been trailing by a few tenths throughout the weekend and struggled to find the necessary speed. The fluctuations in performance among different teams fascinated Wolff, as Red Bull, Ferrari, and Aston Martin took turns as the leading challengers. He described the race as challenging and frustrating, as the car faced various handling issues, from understeer to oversteer.
Overall, Mercedes left the Austrian Grand Prix with disappointment and a determination to analyze their performance and make the necessary improvements for future races.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Mercedes Formula 1 performance.
Q: How did Mercedes perform in the Austrian Grand Prix?
A: Mercedes had a disappointing performance in the Austrian Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton finished seventh, while his teammate George Russell finished eighth. They struggled with pace and faced challenges with car balance, resulting in a substantial gap behind the race winner Max Verstappen.
Q: What were the factors contributing to Mercedes’ poor performance?
A: Mercedes attributed their poor performance to several factors. Hamilton faced difficulties with the balance of his car and received a penalty for exceeding track limits. Additionally, the team brought a radical upgrade for the previous race in Monaco, but it didn’t translate into improved performance in Austria. They speculated that tire performance and other factors might have played a role.
Q: How did George Russell express his frustration with the team’s performance?
A: George Russell expressed his frustration with Mercedes’ performance in Austria. He described the pace as “substantially worse” than anticipated and highlighted the surprise performance of McLaren’s Lando Norris. Russell emphasized the need to understand why they couldn’t achieve the expected level of competitiveness and mentioned the importance of analyzing the situation.
Q: How did Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff respond to the disappointing result?
A: Toto Wolff described the outing as “bruising” for Mercedes. He acknowledged the team’s lack of pace, stating that they were lacking a few tenths throughout the weekend. Wolff expressed frustration with the car’s handling issues, ranging from understeer to oversteer. He mentioned the challenges of optimizing strategy and providing driver support when there is a fundamental lack of pace.
Q: What were the finishing positions of the Mercedes-powered customer cars?
A: Mercedes finished directly behind two powertrain customer cars in the Austrian Grand Prix. Lando Norris finished fifth for McLaren, while Fernando Alonso secured sixth place for Aston Martin. Their strong performances added to the disappointment for Mercedes, as they trailed their own customer teams in the race.
More about Mercedes Formula 1 performance.
- F1 Austrian GP: Verstappen crushes opposition for seventh win of 2023
- Wolff: ‘Frightened’ Horner’s 2026 fears prompted by Red Bull F1 engine concerns
- Mercedes-AMG F1 Team
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Max Verstappen
- Lando Norris
- Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team
- Red Bull Ring
- Formula 1 Official Website
