Mercedes locked out the second row of the grid in Qualifying ahead of the 2024 Spanish GP, with Lewis Hamilton finishing P3, one place ahead of George Russell. Still, Team Principal Toto Wolff was not happy with the gap between his team and pole-sitter Lando Norris.
Norris finished P1 ahead of Max Verstappen and the gap between them was only 0.02 seconds. However, Hamilton and Russell were almost three-tenths behind and Wolff feels that it was because of the W15’s balance being nowhere near as good as it was on Friday – when Hamilton topped FP2.
“P3 and P4 is a solid result,” Wolff admitted. “The gap to pole position was slightly larger than we had envisaged throughout practice. Therefore, that was a little frustrating.”
Toto Wolff: P3 and P4 is a solid result. The car balance wasn’t quite as good as on Friday though. Added to that, both drivers felt that there was little more time left out there. The gap to pole position was slightly larger than we had envisaged throughout practice, therefore.
— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) June 22, 2024
After a tough start to the season, Mercedes brought upgrades to Monaco, which has bolstered the W15’s performance. They don’t look as slow anymore, and Russell showed just that when he got a podium finish (P3) in Canada two weeks ago.
Now, a P3 and P4 finish puts Mercedes in a great position to fight for the podium places once again. Hamilton, for one, is optimistic about the Grand Prix, suggesting that he is going to fight for the win. The team feels it fell short on Saturday. But Sunday will present them with an opportunity to make amends.
Mercedes can use Spanish GP tire-war to their advantage
The Circuit de Catalunya Barcelona is historically known for its high tire degradation. It could lead to varied strategies being employed by teams, and Mercedes can use this to its advantage.
Hamilton and Russell will start right behind Verstappen and Norris; and with the right tire choice, they could determine the fate of the race. There also remains a high chance of a Safety Car or Virtual Safety Car being deployed for Sunday’s race.
The Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit is one of the most technically demanding tracks for cars and also for tires. Therefore, it’s no surprise that once again for this event, Pirelli has chosen its three hardest 2024 dry tire compounds: C1 as Hard, C2 as Medium, and C3 as Soft. pic.twitter.com/ejvgKnrBGj
— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) June 17, 2024
The 595 meters between the pole and the first braking point on the track will set up a crucial Spanish GP start. Mercedes could either opt for a great launch with softer tires or play the long game by fitting in the hards.
