George Russell joined Mercedes last season and, in his debut season itself, won his first Grand Prix. Apparently, it was the only race win for the Silver Arrows the previous season. It has been more than clear that the former champions have been struggling with their car since last year. The team can’t figure out a way to get the best performance from their car in the new cost cap era. But surprisingly, the Brackley team is doing great in the midway of the current season. They have added new upgrades to the Mercedes W14 car.
As of now, it is working, as the team enjoyed a double podium for the first time in the Spanish Grand Prix this year. Despite that, they have not figured out a way to beat Red Bull, their arch-rivals. On the other hand, Aston Martin was able to get a better result in Canada, with Fernando Alonso coming second. However, Lewis Hamilton managed a podium with a P3 finish. But the young 25-year-old driver of the Silver Arrows, George Russell, had a terrible time in the last race in Canada as he finished at P19. Although the young driver is confident that in the upcoming races, Mercedes will be able to close the gap with Red Bull as much as possible.
George Russell Feels Mercedes Is On The Right Path
Red Bull is still 154 points ahead of Mercedes, who are in second place, owing to the fast Max Verstappen and their car RB19. However, the Silver Arrows are waiting for a couple more upgrades in the next four races before the summer break. Reportedly, they have a major upgrade waiting back in Silverstone, which could push the team more towards fighting the front runners Red Bull for the title. Meanwhile, George Russell, who could not capitalize on a good start at the Canadian Grand Prix, asserted that “We are definitely on the right path.” The young Briton was running at P4 when he lost control and hit the wall. That resulted in his P19 finish. But Russell mentioned that the two different race tracks in Barcelona and Montreal bode well with their upgrades.
Mercedes knows they have to do better than just being the second best. But George Russell believes that the Canadian Grand Prix proved that they had got the pace to close the gap between them and Red Bull, the table toppers. According to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, their first new upgrade will come at Silverstone. Not only that but before the summer break, they will add one more upgrade. Only time will tell if the Silver Arrows will manage to compete against the arch-rivals better with these new upgrades.
Helmut Marko Warns Mercedes And Ferrari That Red Bull’s Best Is Yet To Come
Meanwhile, Red Bull advisor, Helmut Marko, believes that no matter what, Mercedes and Ferrari will have a very challenging time catching up with Red Bull. The two other powerhouses may enjoy the new upgrades in Montreal. But Red Bull was not at their best in the Canadian Grand Prix. As Marko mentioned, “We could not get the right temperature for the hard tyres.” He asserted that when Red Bull doesn’t perform at its best, Ferrari and Mercedes get a chance to close the gap. However, Marko is more than sure that it won’t be easy for the rivals when team Red Bull will show their best form.