2026 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team

[Waz]

Russell said that he was half a second faster and lost half of it during lifting. Is that the case? I noticed that he had 1 tenth in total after S1 and S2 on his last lap over Leclerc. Where did he find 4 more tenths in such a short S3 that consist of one small straight before the yellow flag? Unless he kept all the battery for that one straight which is hard to believe as he would need it for the first part I find it hard to believe there wasnt something fishy here.

Mercedes W17 was otherworldly in S3 but here was George’s accounting:

“The lap was unbelievable. I don't know where it came from. I went through Turn 1 a tenth and a half quicker; in the second and third, I gained another tenth and a half; by Turn 4 I was already four and a half tenths ahead, then five tenths, five and a half tenths."

"Then, I saw a yellow flag, a simple yellow. I thought: 'Wow.’ So I eased off the throttle quite a bit. When I got to the middle of the corner, I saw the green flag. I didn't even get to see the car; it was way off the track. I lost a lot of time on that lap. I'd have loved to have completed that lap, because I think it would have ended up three or four tenths further ahead. It was just one of those laps where it feels like the car's on rails."

He basically described the replays we saw. That he lifted quite a bit to go around the corner.

[avantman]

Russell said that he was half a second faster and lost half of it during lifting. Is that the case? I noticed that he had 1 tenth in total after S1 and S2 on his last lap over Leclerc. Where did he find 4 more tenths in such a short S3 that consist of one small straight before the yellow flag? Unless he kept all the battery for that one straight which is hard to believe as he would need it for the first part I find it hard to believe there wasnt something fishy here.

Mercedes W17 was otherworldly in S3 but here was George’s accounting:

“The lap was unbelievable. I don't know where it came from. I went through Turn 1 a tenth and a half quicker; in the second and third, I gained another tenth and a half; by Turn 4 I was already four and a half tenths ahead, then five tenths, five and a half tenths."
H
"Then, I saw a yellow flag, a simple yellow. I thought: 'Wow.’ So I eased off the throttle quite a bit. When I got to the middle of the corner, I saw the green flag. I didn't even get to see the car; it was way off the track. I lost a lot of time on that lap. I'd have loved to have completed that lap, because I think it would have ended up three or four tenths further ahead. It was just one of those laps where it feels like the car's on rails."

He lost a tenth at very most on that lift.

He basically described the replays we saw. That he lifted quite a bit to go around the corner.

[zibby43]

Another quick but important clarification: When George is referencing being "up" XYZ tenths over the course of a lap, this is in the context of his own reference lap. They have no idea from their read out what anyone else is doing.

[SB15]

Anyone else find it worrying that George mentioned "when everything's in the right window"... that car isn't on a knife edge... Idk to me fairplay to him but he has to remember that races are won on Sunday (unless you're in Monaco)

[nitrotech]

Mercedes W17 was otherworldly in S3 but here was George’s accounting:

“The lap was unbelievable. I don't know where it came from. I went through Turn 1 a tenth and a half quicker; in the second and third, I gained another tenth and a half; by Turn 4 I was already four and a half tenths ahead, then five tenths, five and a half tenths."
H
"Then, I saw a yellow flag, a simple yellow. I thought: 'Wow.’ So I eased off the throttle quite a bit. When I got to the middle of the corner, I saw the green flag. I didn't even get to see the car; it was way off the track. I lost a lot of time on that lap. I'd have loved to have completed that lap, because I think it would have ended up three or four tenths further ahead. It was just one of those laps where it feels like the car's on rails."

He lost a tenth at very most on that lift.

How exactly do you know that? Experience or you have the data that is only available to tye team?

[nitrotech]

Anyone else find it worrying that George mentioned "when everything's in the right window"... that car isn't on a knife edge... Idk to me fairplay to him but he has to remember that races are won on Sunday (unless you're in Monaco)

A rookie with barely a year's experience drives a car and out of the box the car goes well. Great traction, good grip and great tyre life. When was the last time a rookie got such performance in pirelli era? While on the other hand, his more senior partner in the team struggles in all of those areas, who happened to wipe the floor last year with that rookie team mate. Who also happened to drove far more difficult cars and got got great results for 4 years. He still thrashes his junior team mate in qualifying. Suddenly, balance goes for toss on Sundays and that happens almost every Sunday and he is unable to sort it for almost half a season, which wasn't the case for the past 4 years. That entirely adds up.

[avantman]

He lost a tenth at very most on that lift.

How exactly do you know that? Experience or you have the data that is only available to tye team?

Open-source telemetry overlays. Never completely accurate but accurate enough to see that his claim he would’ve been 3-4 tenths further ahead is complete and utter nonsense. GP-tempo, which is the source I use shows he lost half a tenth to his previous run in that corner. I assumed he would’ve been able to improve and gain another half a tenth, which led me to one tenth total loss.

[venkyhere]

How exactly do you know that? Experience or you have the data that is only available to tye team?

Open-source telemetry overlays. Never completely accurate but accurate enough to see that his claim he would’ve been 3-4 tenths further ahead is complete and utter nonsense. GP-tempo, which is the source I use shows he lost half a tenth to his previous run in that corner. I assumed he would’ve been able to improve and gain another half a tenth, which led me to one tenth total loss.

You must remember that Russel has undergone tutelage from Reichmarshall Wolff himself. Scoring political brownie points (I sacrificed two-and-half-tenths) comes easy to him. He is clever, too clever, and would have been absolutely at home in the house of commons. I still think he deserved the pole, btw. His second Q3 run was absolutely bang-on and an extreme step up, compared to all his Q1,Q2,Q3 runs before the final one.

[erudite450]

Not that I have any particular reason to think so but it seems to me that Russell and Sainz are two of the smartest drivers on the grid.

[Badger]

Not that I have any particular reason to think so but it seems to me that Russell and Sainz are two of the smartest drivers on the grid.

Two of the most shameless perhaps Not afraid to use the radio.

[PlatinumZealot]

Antonellis seemed stronger here again. Like he's got Russell covered at all kinds of tracks.. But winning the championship is not all about speed! As Russell is showing with his quick-thinking on the yellow flag dodge.

[Mansell89]

Great for George today and much needed but my takeaway is Kimi demonstrating the pace to have comfortably won this, very impressive.

[SB15]

Man Kimi's pace was in a league of his own.

[Lasssept]

[Jambier]

ANT lost the race in the first two laps
And then lack of luck with the VSC.

Anyway, both drivers on the podium, and on top of the championship. Battle will continue.