Mercedes ‘trying to understand’ big issue with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell

Mercedes “trying to understand” why Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were never on the same pace during the 2023 Formula 1 season, according to Russell. The British driver admitted that Mercedes are “trying to understand.”

In addition, the 25-year-old is eager to determine the reason for himself so that Russell can match Hamilton next year. He found it astounding how the Mercedes colleagues were frequently up to this point separated over the races. However the pair finished the mission having both out-qualified the other at 11 rounds.

In 2023, Mercedes was the only team where neither driver won their qualifying battle head-to-head. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon were the next-nearest driver pairing over a single lap among those competing for the entire season. Gasly won their all-French battle 14-8.

This year, Hamilton’s and Russell’s average qualifying positions were nearly identical, 6.36 and 6.50, respectively. The two drivers likewise made Q3 at 18 of the 22 races, with Hamilton leaving after Q2 multiple times and Russell leaving after Q1 once. Hamilton additionally took shaft position once.

Hamilton and Mercedes earned their only pole position of the season at the Hungarian Grand Prix in July, while Russell finished in 18th place. During one of the race weekends during which F1 used the “Alternative Tyre Allocation,” the King’s Lynn native felt constrained by traffic around the Hungaroring.

The Australian, Singapore, and Qatar Grand Prix were Russell’s three best qualifying finishes. He likewise just paired Hamilton in the straight on fight at the last race. Hamilton would just qualify P11 for the season-finishing Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi Fabulous Prix.

As a result of Hamilton’s end-of-season woes, Mercedes finished the 2023 season with the closest average qualifying gap between two teammates. Mercedes is trying to understand their driver’s pace disparity. Russell and the 38-year-old finished the year with a 0.020-second hole. With 0.075, the Alpine duo of Gasly and Ocon came in second place.

For their 0.020-second split, Russell and Hamilton had a slight advantage over one another. Yet, Mercedes and their drivers are quick to comprehend the reason why Russell and Hamilton would then be up until this point separated in the races. Hamilton scored 234 points more than 175, winning the Grand Prix head-to-head 15-7.

“It’s certainly something we’ve seen,” Russell conceded, through quotes by the Express. ” Lewis and I, throughout the span of the year, I don’t think we’ve at any point been at a similar speed.

Our qualifying record has virtually remained constant over the past few years. Yet’s, it is possible that one driver is six-tenths in front of the other. Along these lines, it’s something we’re attempting to comprehend. When you’re driving on the back foot, I think it’s common to chase to close that gap.

“Some of the time in doing as such, you make a stride in reverse as opposed to really close that hole. It’s something I’m attempting to sort out myself and I’m certain he’s attempting to sort out, also.”