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Mercedes Shows Progress in Bahrain GP as George Russell Secures Podium Finish

The 2024 Formula 1 season kicked off with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton facing a challenging debut in Bahrain, finishing over 45 seconds behind the victorious Max Verstappen. Thirteen months later, Russell made a significant turnaround by securing second place, proving that Mercedes has made crucial advancements despite the earlier setbacks.

As Red Bull grapples with issues related to car balance and Ferrari struggles to maintain competitiveness over full race distances, Mercedes has positioned itself as the nearest rival to McLaren this season. Russell’s recent achievement marks his third podium in four races across various circuit layouts, demonstrating a commendable consistency that eluded him with the stiffer 2024 model.

Prior to the Bahrain Grand Prix, Russell anticipated that the desert heat and the grueling Sakhir circuit would serve as a true measure of Mercedes’ progress. The performance on race day appeared to affirm this, indicating that the team is indeed on a positive trajectory.

“We expected Bahrain to be one of our more challenging races due to the high temperatures and the rough surface of the track,” commented team principal Toto Wolff. In an interview with Motorsport.com, he reflected on the results saying, “We qualified P2 and P4, and having a car capable of reaching the podium exceeded our expectations. While winning is the definitive marker of success, we can certainly say it was a much better performance than we anticipated under the circumstances.”

However, challenges remain as catching McLaren, currently led by Oscar Piastri, will not be easy. Piastri’s commanding win came with a 15-second margin over Russell, a gap that was partly due to Piastri utilizing the preferred medium tires during the latter part of the race while Russell struggled with tire wear and electronics issues.

“Reflecting on McLaren’s performance from last year, where Lando Norris and Piastri finished sixth and eighth, it’s evident how quickly fortunes can change,” Wolff stated. “We might have been lacking a few tenths today. The true comparison on tire performance might have shown different results had we used the medium tires at the end.”

Wolff also highlighted McLaren’s engineering prowess, noting, “When a car performs like McLaren’s, it’s a testament to their exceptional engineering. They’ve crafted a chassis that maximizes performance while managing tire degradation more effectively than others.”

Despite the challenges Russell faced, including a sudden brake-by-wire failure and other electronic difficulties during the final 20 laps, Wolff praised his performance as “unbelievable.” He explained, “We encountered a brake failure unexpectedly, which required some time to recalibrate the settings. Russell’s ability to manage the system while contending with Norris behind him was exceptional.”

“He did a fantastic job sustaining tire performance over a long stint and aggressively pushing when needed. Even with the limitations we faced, his focus remained strong, undeterred by the shifting lights and other distractions,” Wolff commented.

Looking Ahead

As the season progresses, the results from Bahrain have set a hopeful tone for Mercedes. They will be looking to refine their strategy and close the gap to McLaren while addressing the technical issues that have arisen. With the right adjustments, Mercedes aims to consolidate its position and challenge for victories in upcoming races.

Source
www.motorsport.com