Russell: Mercedes “not much quicker” on soft tyre in Melbourne F1 practice

George Russell felt assured along with his Mercedes W16 on the tougher compounds throughout apply for Components 1’s Australian Grand Prix, however thought the automobile was struggling to get extra out of the softs through the qualifying simulations.

Russell positioned tenth total within the FP2 timesheets, though displayed good ranges of projected race tempo through the end-of-session lengthy runs, as he felt extra snug with the C3 and C4 tyres that Pirelli dropped at Albert Park.

The Briton was finally 0.843s down on Charles Leclerc‘s headline lap from FP2, notably behind the Racing Bulls duo and Lance Stroll, because the W16 appeared barely wayward on the C5.

Russell reckoned that his staff might discover a smoking gun through the post-session debrief, however famous that the squad was struggling to seek out the one-lap efficiency step between comfortable and medium tyres.

“It was a extremely up and down day as a result of each time we had the medium or the arduous tyre on, we have been proper within the high two of the time sheets and each lap felt good, felt assured,” Russell stated.

“After which we put the comfortable on, we did not go a lot faster. Clearly there’s a little bit of tempo within the automobile and it is simply getting essentially the most out of the tyre, so we have to perceive why that’s. Let’s examine what we are able to obtain in a single day.

“I imply, if the session stopped off with a tough tyre and if the session stopped after the medium tyre and FP1, I might have stated positively we’re there or thereabouts. However clearly you do not qualify underneath the arduous or the medium tyre, you qualify on the comfortable tyre, and we do not appear so aggressive on that one.

“I am certain we are able to discover some enhancements tonight.”

Rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli was solely sixteenth quickest within the FP2 order, with a handful of large moments on his quickest lap, and the younger Italian put that right down to Mercedes struggling to seek out the window with the C5 compound.

He added that his personal inexperience with the tyre meant that he was struggling to get the precise temperatures into the red-walled Pirellis earlier than embarking on his personal flying lap makes an attempt, however he was nonetheless optimistic about his first F1 apply session as a totally minted Mercedes driver.

“It was I feel fairly a optimistic day; there’s some work to do on single lap, simply getting the tyres in the precise window, however total I felt fairly good,” Antonelli reviewed.

“I did just a little mistake on the finish, however total I feel I am getting an increasing number of confidence up, and I feel the long term was fairly optimistic right this moment.

“The C5 is a compound I’ve by no means actually used, so positively I am studying it; particularly the warm-up is kind of tough, however we have got some good information forward of tomorrow.”