Mercedes received’t be capable of run its improve on each automobiles on the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix as a consequence of repairs wanted after George Russell’s qualifying crash at COTA.
Russell crashed closely on the penultimate nook on Saturday, damaging the automobile to such an extent that Mercedes needed to change specification and work by means of parc ferme hours to arrange it for the race. That led to a pit lane begin for Russell, and crew principal Toto Wolff says there aren’t sufficient spares of the package deal launched final weekend to permit each drivers to run the improve in Mexico.
“No, we received’t have [two upgrades],” Wolff stated. “We will probably be lacking the ground that wants to return to the UK after which be repaired for Brazil. So we will probably be operating the specification [separately].
“On Lewis [Hamilton], usually we’d have all of the components however I’m not 100% certain that he’s eager on operating that. So we’ve received to learn how we need to deal with that weekend.”
Hamilton spun off early within the USGP on the identical nook Russell crashed and urged the automobile’s dealing with was a problem, however Wolff stated Mercedes will probably be sticking with the brand new components and making an attempt to know why its type is fluctuating a lot.
“I don’t suppose we now have a basic concern on the improve, very a lot,” he stated. “I feel it’s extra interplay on aero and on mechanical stuff, and due to this fact we’re going to proceed with the improve. It is mindless to not, as a result of there’s loads of lap time you permit on the desk, however on the opposite facet you could be very open-minded.
“George drove the July improve [at COTA] as a result of we didn’t have the ground and that appeared fairly aggressive within the race. Having stated that, in case you’re lacking a number of tenths in qualifying, that makes an enormous distinction as a result of it’s simply not so good as it ought to be.
“So it’s extra about actually getting on high of, why do we now have a automobile that on Friday is by far the quickest – earlier than the [Franco] Colapinto state of affairs – it was four-tenths up and the final sector was simply hassle however he would have been quickest, after which on Saturday it’s reworked.
“Within the Dash race, we had a damaged suspension. That’s one clarification. We mounted that within the qualifying, nothing would go anymore and we struggled to have tempo. [On Sunday] an incident in that nook that got here out of nowhere. He was not pushing in any respect. So the place I sit in the meanwhile it’s 100% not Lewis’ fault and that’s to not say that I’m defending him.
“It’s clear it was gusty, there was a slipstream. How does all of that work together? How does Ferrari come from nearly written off earlier than the summer season after which turns it round that they’ve a dominant automobile ending one-two? Heads-up by the way in which to Fred and his crew. Actually spectacular what they’re doing.”
Mercedes has additionally introduced that its 2025 driver Kimi Antonelli will participate in FP1 on Friday in Mexico Metropolis, becoming a member of Ollie Bearman at Ferrari and Pato O’Ward within the McLaren as rookies collaborating.