The Mercedes Formula 1 team, according to George Russell, needed a reality check following the thrill of the one-two finish in Brazil the week before. This was provided by the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Follow Us
For the season’s final race, Lewis Hamilton and Russell qualified fifth and sixth, with Russell taking fifth after his teammate’s untimely retirement. Russell’s day was made more difficult since he fell behind Lando Norris on the opening lap and remained there. At his second stop, he accepted a five-second penalty for an unsafe release, which cost him time. He then set a string of fast laps. In response to a question from Motorsport.com following his race, he said, “I think it’s a bit of a reality check for all of us.” “And it’s desperately needed because we still realise that we have a lot to accomplish if we want to compete with Red Bull the next season. “Undoubtedly, the automobile we have has a lot of promise, but sadly, its performance range is very limited.
Read More- What we discovered from Alonso’s initial Formula 1 test with Aston Martin
The team experienced more porpoising in Abu Dhabi than it had in a while, which made life more difficult for the drivers. Russell was eager to contextualise his first victory at Interlagos in the context of the entire year. “I believe that other teams also encountered some porpoising this year, not just us. In that regard, the modifications the FIA are making with the raised floor edge will be an improvement. It undoubtedly adds a significant amount of weariness. I had forgotten what it felt like to drive while the car was somewhat bouncing down the straight and into the curves. So if I show up in Bahrain the following year without any of that, I’ll be happy.
“Although I’m incredibly proud of what we accomplished last week, I’m here to try to win the F1 world championship, and we still have a long way to go. “Undoubtedly, it feels good to get it out of the way, but as the saying goes, you are only as good as your most recent race, which took place in Abu Dhabi. Collectively, we placed fifth [here]. “I’m currently in fourth place overall. I will reflect on the season with great pride, but I will also be aware that there is still much room for improvement if we want to compete with Max [Verstappen].”
