Russell: Mercedes to Battle Ferrari and Verstappen at Imola
Russell: Mercedes to Battle Ferrari and Verstappen at Imola
Why it matters: George Russell believes Mercedes will be competing with Max Verstappen of Red Bull and the Ferrari drivers for the 'best of the rest' title at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, following McLaren's impressive performance in Friday practice.
The big picture: McLaren secured a 1-2 finish, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris leading the way. Alpine's Pierre Gasly also showed strong pace, finishing ahead of Russell's Mercedes.
What they're saying:
- Russell noted that tire degradation is significant due to the softest compounds being used, which 'spices things up'.
- Russell believes Mercedes is closer to McLaren in qualifying pace than race runs.
- Kimi Antonelli, Russell's teammate, struggled, finishing 18th in FP2 due to errors but showed promise in long-run pace.
- Antonelli is excited to race in front of his home fans.
The details: Russell is optimistic about Mercedes' performance, aiming to secure valuable points. Antonelli, despite a challenging practice, is focused on improvement.
What's next: The team will focus on refining their performance in the upcoming sessions and races, aiming to close the gap to McLaren and compete with Ferrari and Verstappen.
Original Article :https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/russell-identifies-mercedes-main-riva...






