Russell harassed that getting the tyres to work successfully within the face of fixing monitor temperatures was the most important problem confronted by all drivers, and he conceded that his crew “obtained it improper.”
Mercedes had a troublesome Friday, with Lewis Hamilton ending FP2 in seventh, and Russell in tenth.
Each drivers believed that there was scope for enchancment on Saturday, however regardless of making some optimistic adjustments to their automobiles in a single day they completed qualifying in sixth and eighth respectively.
“We undoubtedly did,” stated Russell when requested by Motorsport.com if the crew made progress. “However it was only a completely up and down day.
“In FP3, we have been the quickest at factors, and confirmed actually sturdy tempo. Went out in Q1 with no grip, off the tempo. Q2, the automotive felt again to regular, and we have been fast. And we went out in Q3, and the identical occurred once more.
“I feel most likely Daniel [Ricciardo] was the one driver at the moment who was essentially the most constant. The Ferraris have been off the tempo at factors. After which clearly Alex [Albon] was the quickest at factors, clearly he ought to have been in Q3, however wasn’t. It is fairly irritating when it is like this.”
Picture by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Pictures
George Russell, Mercedes-AMG
Russell stated that the Pirelli tyres have been on a knife-edge by way of optimisation.
“It is simply how the tyre interacts with the out lap,” he stated. “The temperature dropping, you are all the time looking for that additional little bit of efficiency.
“However for no matter purpose, there gave the impression to be a sudden drop once you have been a small margin over that restrict.
“Both the blokes simply discovered that restrict and obtained huge efficiency, or they have been over the restrict, and had no efficiency. It’s a bit irritating when it is like this, however we have to recognise we did not get it proper.”
Russell acknowledged that it gained’t be a straightforward race for Merecdes on Sunday, with managing temperatures in visitors more likely to be a giant problem.
“In FP3 we thought we have been combating for the entrance two rows in qualifying,” he stated. “And doubtless had a race automotive that was fast sufficient to battle for the rostrum.
“Beginning in P8 and P6 for Lewis and I, we’ll have a very difficult day tomorrow. It is a disgrace.
“It is all the time difficult right here in Mexico, all people’s combating for brake temperatures, engine temperatures, and as quickly as you are making an attempt to overhaul and battle a automotive, you’ll be able to’t, since you breach these limits.
“It is the character of the beast, and we simply want to simply accept we obtained it improper at the moment. And it is most likely compromised our complete weekend.”
Hamilton was adamant that regardless of the adjustments for qualifying the W14 was merely not fast sufficient.
“The automotive has not been nice this weekend,” he stated. “Story of my life in the meanwhile this yr. It is no totally different to any of the opposite races. Austin was a standout race for us, however it’s again to the conventional automotive.
“The automotive has typically been the identical. We made a become qualifying, I assumed the automotive was nicer to drive a minimum of, however on the whole it is simply not that quick.”
Requested about his hopes for the race, Hamilton was pessimistic: “We’ve obtained a little bit of a battle on our palms. Overheating is a matter for us. Brake overheating, these kinds of issues.
“So staying in battles goes to be powerful, managing tyres goes to be powerful tomorrow. If we are able to progress forwards on technique, then we’ll strive to do this.”
Further reporting by Mandy Curi
