Mercedes was the strongest team out on track at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve during FP2 on Friday. Lewis Hamilton managed to get P1, just 0.027 seconds ahead of teammate George Russell. As a result, fans are expecting a lot from Mercedes this weekend, but their technical director James Allison asks them not to.
FP2 was heavily disrupted, in what was a very eventful day for F1 fans in Montreal. The first practice session barely allowed teams to get their laps in before technical difficulties with the CCTV cameras on track stopped the session altogether. FP2’s running time was consequently increased to 90 minutes, and Mercedes managed to get plenty of laps in before heavy rain wreaked havoc.
90-minutes of FP2 complete ✅ with @LewisHamilton and @GeorgeRussell63 topping the timings in P1 and P2 respectively 👊#CanadianGP #OutRaceYourself #PETRONASMotorsports #PETRONAS #MercedesAMGF1 pic.twitter.com/poGPD2pavm
— PETRONAS Motorsports (@PET_Motorsports) June 16, 2023
The upgrades Mercedes brought to Monaco improved their performance in Barcelona. However, after their double-podium finish in Spain, Toto Wolff was adamant that Canada won’t treat his drivers kindly. Those claims have turned out to be false for now, and the upgrades seem to be doing their job.
With a lot of hype surrounding Lewis Hamilton and George Russell‘s stunning FP2 performance, a lot of onus lies on the duo to break Red Bull’s streak this Sunday at the Canadian GP.
James Allison asks fans not to expect too much from Lewis Hamilton and George Russell
Even though the fans are hopeful of Hamilton and Russell dethroning Max Verstappen and Co. this Sunday, Allison isn’t. The top Mercedes engineer feels that the performance they showed in FP2 will have no effect on the race whatsoever.
“I think there’s plenty more to improve on the car before we get to qualifying,” Allison said in an interview with Sky Sports after the race. “And I think, all you can read into it, is that the car is in okay shape. But it’s not deserving of a 1-2.”
Even though Allison isn’t overly optimistic about catching Red Bull on Sunday, he expects a good performance. The upgrades have worked well in favor of the Silver Arrows, and Allison wants to see its effects carry on in Montreal. However, the fact that they expect the race to be held in dry conditions, could turn out to be disadvantageous for the Brackley-based outfit.
How Mercedes got the better of Red Bull in rainy conditions
As described by Shovlin in the same interview, Mercedes gained advantage on their rivals because of their short-runs prior to the heavy rain. This allowed them to put in better lap times, compared to other teams like Red Bull, who were putting their drivers out on longer runs.
In addition to Red Bull’s longer runs, Verstappen and Sergio Perez didn’t seem particularly happy with the car. Verstappen even complained about the downshifts, which were preventing him from being at his best.
Wet weather conditions are likely to suit Mercedes more for the race. Unfortunately, as Allison revealed, they are expecting a dry race. Verstappen meanwhile, is hoping for a dry outing on Sunday, which will help him win the race comfortably, and extend his lead at the top of the championship standings.
