formula 1
Mercedes left behind in Monza: “The biggest hurdle is our pace”
Lewis Hamilton followed at Monza. photo
© Hasan Bratic/dpa
Mercedes can’t keep up. In Monza, too, the Formula 1 racing team complained about a glaring performance deficit. Hamilton and Russell are “absolutely not happy” with the car.
The former Formula 1 industry leader Mercedes also complains about the lack of engine power on the high-speed track at Monza.
“The biggest hurdle is our pace, we were 10 km/h slower than the Ferraris,” reported team boss Toto Wolff to TV channel Sky after the first day of practice for the 14th Grand Prix of the year in Italy. The qualification takes place today (4 p.m. / Sky).
“Absolutely not happy”
George Russell was 0.821 seconds behind top man Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari, record world champion Lewis Hamilton in the second Mercedes even 1.428 seconds. “They were absolutely not happy with the car, there was understeer everywhere,” reported Wolff about the dissatisfaction of his two drivers. Hamilton also drove a different setup than Russell and did not use the fastest tire compound.
The 38-year-old Hamilton, who has extended his contract until the end of 2025, sees deficits in the car’s set-up and balance. Chief Engineer Andrew Shovlin said: “We need to work on both a fast lap and long runs if we want to be competitive.”
Mercedes is after all second in the World Championship Constructors’ Championship, but industry leader Red Bull around world champion Max Verstappen has long been in a league of its own.