Mercedes’ struggles were on full display once again at the Azerbaijan GP after a brief period of respite. Neither George Russell nor Lewis Hamilton looked comfortable, and Team Principal Toto Wolff took responsibility for the same. He admitted that the Brackley-based squad failed to deliver a ‘perfectly balanced’ car in Baku.
“It was a very difficult week,” Wolff said in a video posted on social media. “We, kind of, never gave the drivers a nicely balanced car. But, in the end, we were able to score a third place.”
Wolff praised Russell for his strong second stint, which earned him a P3 finish. He also expressed regret over a missed opportunity to secure a better result with Hamilton, who started from the pit lane (since he took up a new power unit) and finished P9.
A challenging weekend in Baku. But onwards to Singapore ⏩ pic.twitter.com/TF0GJrsCuq
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) September 15, 2024
Although Russell finished P3, it was largely due to Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz crashing out in the closing stages of the race. The Briton had been running in P5 and gained two positions for free, joining Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc on the podium.
Russell was still dissatisfied with the overall performance of the W15, stating that there was more work to be done. Hamilton also expressed frustration with the W15, although it was the tires that gave him the most trouble.
Mercedes’ tire woes in Baku
Mercedes’ weekend started well, with both drivers near the top three in the Free Practice sessions on Friday. However, cracks began to show once qualifying started the next day, and Hamilton fully blamed the lack of pace on the tires. Despite having a new engine, Hamilton’s W15 didn’t perform as expected, particularly on the hard compound.
George with some strong words about the Pirelli tires
GR: Honestly, it’s pretty infuriating that it changes this much. (…) It is a black magic. I think even the people who make the tires, don’t understand the tires… pic.twitter.com/1624SFt0ZW
— h ⋆ (@russellius) September 15, 2024
Even Russell was far from happy with the Pirelli tires, claiming it was “infuriating” how much they charge for each driver. The 26-year-old took a jibe by saying it was some kind of “black magic,” given how quickly things can change driving on the same compound.
Mercedes, meanwhile, has been largely inconsistent throughout the season. The Silver Arrows started the year on a disappointing note, gradually improving to secure three wins—two for Hamilton and one for Russell. Unfortunately, they now appear to be experiencing another dip in performance.
