George Russell started the Bahrain GP from P3 on the grid and was optimistic about a podium finish. Come the end of the race, he had to settle for P5, and he now looks back helplessly, as he analyzes just how slow the Mercedes was.
Russell showed promise early on in the race but was soon overtaken by Sergio Perez. Then, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc passed him too, and there wasn’t much he could do about it. On the team radio, Russell and his race engineer were discussing problems related to engine overheating, which were visible in the other Mercedes-powered cars too. Nonetheless, Russell sees Bahrain as a missed opportunity for the team.
Strong start, but in the end, P5 was the maximum today. Really enjoyed being back racing again, and already looking forward to the next one. Good effort team, onwards to Saudi Arabia. pic.twitter.com/qkPYR6NGEl
— George Russell (@GeorgeRussell63) March 2, 2024
In the latest episode of the Chequered Flag podcast, he said, “It’s a shame that we didn’t get to show any of the real potential of this car. So it’s been a bit of a strange day.”
Russell’s words stemmed from the fact that Mercedes entered the Bahrain GP with great hope. They were strong in pre-season testing and practice ahead of the race too. Unfortunately, for Russell, the Ferrari cars were too fast. Hamilton meanwhile, couldn’t make too many places either. To him, engine issues were not the only problem.
Lewis Hamilton blames tire degradation for failed pursuits
After Lewis Hamilton qualified in P9 in Bahrain, he revealed that he sacrificed qualifying pace for better performance in the long runs. However, that did not work out too well for the seven-time world champion. The only drivers he managed to get the better of were McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.
Admittedly, Alonso and Piastri were not driving the fastest of cars. He passed Alonso fairly easily and was on a better strategy than Piastri who put him in front. However, he couldn’t do anything to threaten Lando Norris, or anyone ahead of him.
There were glimpses of real performance in Bahrain
We’ve still got a lot to learn about the W15, but we have a solid platform that we can build from pic.twitter.com/mQOD1fyD6U
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) March 3, 2024
As quoted by the BBC, Hamilton said, “I think there is a feeling of disappointment within the team. “I thought we would have been better today than we were. It was a close race, degradation was high.”
The only positives Hamilton can see going into the next few races is the fact that his car is reliable. Both him and Russell will be hoping for some major developments by Mercedes if they are to be competitive at some point this season.
