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.