Mercedes “not a lot faster” on comfortable tyre in Australian GP follow

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

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

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

Russell reckoned that his crew may discover a smoking gun throughout the post-session debrief, however famous that the squad was struggling to search 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 had been proper within the prime two of the time sheets and each lap felt good, felt assured,” Russell mentioned.

“After which we put the comfortable on, we did not go a lot faster. Clearly there’s a little bit of tempo within the automotive and it is simply getting probably the most out of the tyre, so we have to perceive why that’s. Let’s have a look at 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 mentioned undoubtedly we’re there or thereabouts. However clearly you do not qualify below 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 broad moments on his quickest lap, and the younger Italian put that right down to Mercedes struggling to search out the window with the C5 compound.

He added that his personal inexperience with the tyre meant that he was struggling to get the correct 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 follow session as a totally minted Mercedes driver.

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

“I did a bit of mistake on the finish, however total I believe I am getting increasingly confidence up, and I believe the long term was fairly optimistic at this time.

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

Images from Australian GP – Free Follow