2025 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[kurtj]

Race pace. That’s all that really matters. I’d rather qualify P3 and move forward on Sunday—but it is what it is. It’s a bit disappointing; it’s hard to get truly excited about a pole when you know you’re likely to go backwards in the race.

Nevertheless, congrats to George on pole. That was a mega, mega lap

Wouldn't be shocked if Verstappen and Piastri passes George during the race and somehow the Ferrari's fly up the grid

Another SB15 prediction.

If George didn't brake test Max, according to stewards, shouldn't then Max be penalized for overtaking under SC?

[Lasssept]

Both were rejected. GR keeps P1: https://x.com/mercedesf1_hub/status/193 ... 45905?s=46

Adam Cooper:

I've heard that @redbullracing has withdrawn the protest about RUS being too far behind the safety car. In fact he was complying with another rule regarding a yellow flag delta, and in effect he wasn't able to keep up with the safety car.

[SB15]

Race pace. That’s all that really matters. I’d rather qualify P3 and move forward on Sunday—but it is what it is. It’s a bit disappointing; it’s hard to get truly excited about a pole when you know you’re likely to go backwards in the race.

Nevertheless, congrats to George on pole. That was a mega, mega lap

Wouldn't be shocked if Verstappen and Piastri passes George during the race and somehow the Ferrari's fly up the grid

Another SB15 prediction.

If George didn't brake test Max, according to stewards, shouldn't then Max be penalized for overtaking under SC?

Bro get off my case for me expecting the worst. At least I won't be disappointed and I clearly wasn't, but I'm already looking towards Austria and because race determines whether Mercedes can truly take the fight to the Mclarens. Odds say, they probably won't be, which I believe because this track (Montreal) suited the Mercs for a long time and plus it was a resurfaced track.

Really trying to see if Mercedes were/are improving the brake drum cooling for the tyres this weekend and for Austria, which I don't think that what's happened for them. But, we'll see.

[CjC]

Mark Hughes thoughts as to why Merc was so competitive in Canada:

‘Scratching beneath the surface of the anomalous form tells us a little more about what it might be in the Mercedes’ DNA which makes it so good here.

Most circuits impose thermal degradation upon the tyres, either of the core or the surface. Montreal does not. Overheating rubber is just not a problem for anyone here. The super-smooth surface, the short slow corners and the tyre-cooling straights between them, make it a non-issue. There is not enough energy being fed into them for that. Which removes entirely one of the Mercedes’ main limitations. Instead, the tyre challenge is graining – of both left-hand tyres but mainly the front.

The Mercedes brakes well, gets its power down well and with the small speed spread of this track can be balanced quite nicely. The generic balance limitation of this generation, but especially marked in the Mercedes – that difficulty of getting a sweet spot between low-speed understeer and high-speed instability – doesn’t really figure here. There is no real high speed. So there goes the car’s other key limitation.’

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mark ... came-from/

[kurtj]

Mark Hughes thoughts as to why Merc was so competitive in Canada:

‘Scratching beneath the surface of the anomalous form tells us a little more about what it might be in the Mercedes’ DNA which makes it so good here.

Most circuits impose thermal degradation upon the tyres, either of the core or the surface. Montreal does not. Overheating rubber is just not a problem for anyone here. The super-smooth surface, the short slow corners and the tyre-cooling straights between them, make it a non-issue. There is not enough energy being fed into them for that. Which removes entirely one of the Mercedes’ main limitations. Instead, the tyre challenge is graining – of both left-hand tyres but mainly the front.

The Mercedes brakes well, gets its power down well and with the small speed spread of this track can be balanced quite nicely. The generic balance limitation of this generation, but especially marked in the Mercedes – that difficulty of getting a sweet spot between low-speed understeer and high-speed instability – doesn’t really figure here. There is no real high speed. So there goes the car’s other key limitation.’

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mark ... came-from/

There are many circuits similar to Montreal (tarmac and track characteristics), like Melbourne, Miami, Monaco, Baku, Singapore and Las Vegas. Huge's hunch here should apply to all these circuits, but W16 wasn't exactly as competitive in Melboure or Miami. I am sure there is more intricate explanation as to what happened in Montreal that Mercedes would know better.

[Lasssept]

Motorsport
Exclusive: George Russell is a target for Aston Martin

George Russell is a target to lead Aston Martin’s F1 revival in 2026 - according to a leading paddock source. Motorsport understands that the 27-year-old is being considered as part of the team’s future plans following the biggest regulation change in F1’s history.

Aston have charged legendary designer Adrian Newey with the responsibility of producing a competitive car with the introduction of new engine and chassis rules. And it is believed that Russell is a shock contender to drive it.

Russell is out of contract at the end of the year with Mercedes and yet to sign a new deal.

link

[kurtj]

Motorsport
Exclusive: George Russell is a target for Aston Martin

George Russell is a target to lead Aston Martin’s F1 revival in 2026 - according to a leading paddock source. Motorsport understands that the 27-year-old is being considered as part of the team’s future plans following the biggest regulation change in F1’s history.

Aston have charged legendary designer Adrian Newey with the responsibility of producing a competitive car with the introduction of new engine and chassis rules. And it is believed that Russell is a shock contender to drive it.

Russell is out of contract at the end of the year with Mercedes and yet to sign a new deal.

link

Aha. So that is why the delay in signing a new deal with Mercedes! That is why he is saying nothing is 100% certain.

[wunderkind]

By the way, what’s the name of the Chinese engineer who collected the winning constructor’s trophy for Mercedes at the Canadian GP?

[DGP123]

By the way, what’s the name of the Japanese engineer who collected the winning constructor’s trophy for Mercedes at the Canadian GP?

Katsuhide Kuwahara

[OverheatedTurbo]

Austria will be a Mclaren 1 and 2. Unless…

[Seanspeed]

Mark Hughes thoughts as to why Merc was so competitive in Canada:

‘Scratching beneath the surface of the anomalous form tells us a little more about what it might be in the Mercedes’ DNA which makes it so good here.

Most circuits impose thermal degradation upon the tyres, either of the core or the surface. Montreal does not. Overheating rubber is just not a problem for anyone here. The super-smooth surface, the short slow corners and the tyre-cooling straights between them, make it a non-issue. There is not enough energy being fed into them for that. Which removes entirely one of the Mercedes’ main limitations. Instead, the tyre challenge is graining – of both left-hand tyres but mainly the front.

The Mercedes brakes well, gets its power down well and with the small speed spread of this track can be balanced quite nicely. The generic balance limitation of this generation, but especially marked in the Mercedes – that difficulty of getting a sweet spot between low-speed understeer and high-speed instability – doesn’t really figure here. There is no real high speed. So there goes the car’s other key limitation.’

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mark ... came-from/

There are many circuits similar to Montreal (tarmac and track characteristics), like Melbourne, Miami, Monaco, Baku, Singapore and Las Vegas. Huge's hunch here should apply to all these circuits, but W16 wasn't exactly as competitive in Melboure or Miami. I am sure there is more intricate explanation as to what happened in Montreal that Mercedes would know better.

I get the impression that even teams sometimes simply do not understand why they went particularly well in a given weekend. Like, for all their analysis and top line engineers and whatnot, sometimes things just all come together magically in a way that couldn't have been predicted. I mean, if F1 were so easily solvable, obviously every team would be competitive, right?

[MB_Racer]

Mark Hughes thoughts as to why Merc was so competitive in Canada:

‘Scratching beneath the surface of the anomalous form tells us a little more about what it might be in the Mercedes’ DNA which makes it so good here.

Most circuits impose thermal degradation upon the tyres, either of the core or the surface. Montreal does not. Overheating rubber is just not a problem for anyone here. The super-smooth surface, the short slow corners and the tyre-cooling straights between them, make it a non-issue. There is not enough energy being fed into them for that. Which removes entirely one of the Mercedes’ main limitations. Instead, the tyre challenge is graining – of both left-hand tyres but mainly the front.

The Mercedes brakes well, gets its power down well and with the small speed spread of this track can be balanced quite nicely. The generic balance limitation of this generation, but especially marked in the Mercedes – that difficulty of getting a sweet spot between low-speed understeer and high-speed instability – doesn’t really figure here. There is no real high speed. So there goes the car’s other key limitation.’

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mark ... came-from/

There are many circuits similar to Montreal (tarmac and track characteristics), like Melbourne, Miami, Monaco, Baku, Singapore and Las Vegas. Huge's hunch here should apply to all these circuits, but W16 wasn't exactly as competitive in Melboure or Miami. I am sure there is more intricate explanation as to what happened in Montreal that Mercedes would know better.

IMO this explains partly why the W16 is performing better …

https://www.planetf1.com/features/the-n ... ll-to-pole

I also strongly believe the brake ducts and the new rear suspension explains a lot on how the W16 has been able to managed its tires so well in the relative hot conditions in Canada