Just over two months ago, in Shanghai, the two Mercedes started the Grand Prix from eighth and eighteenth positions on the starting grid. Tomorrow, in Silverstone, they will both be on the front row. All this six days after Russell’s victory in the Austrian Grand Prix, a success favored by the contact between Verstappen and Norris but which saw George in the role of first of the others. In the Silverstone qualifying there was no tribute, Russell took pole position by force and Hamilton placed behind him. A show of strength.
“Who would have ever said it a few months ago? – commented Toto Wolff – I admit that it was not in our forecasts, sometimes you also think about not rushing too much with your head and this is also true in view of tomorrow’s race”.
Three British drivers in the top three at Silverstone: Russell on pole followed by Hamilton and Norris
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Mercedes was actually very confident about the possibility of doing well if the session had been confirmed as wet, then the switch to slicks halfway through Q1 opened up a new scenario. In Q3, with the first set of softs, Russell made it clear that he would have been able to have his say even in the dry, obtaining the best time with a margin of six thousandths over Norris. Then in the final and decisive assault he placed the winning lap finding two providential tenths, given that Hamilton in turn lowered his time going from third to second.
An all-round performance by Mercedes and its drivers, impeccable at the crucial moment. In the final lap of Q3, the ones who made mistakes were Norris and Piastri, favourites on the eve of the race together with Max Verstappen, who had already made a mistake at Copse in Q1, damaging the floor of his car. “At times like this you think back to the two years of constant frustration that we have lived through,” Wolff continued, “between bouncing and everything else. Then, a couple of races ago, James (Allison) said to me, ‘We think we have found the key’ and now I can say he was right.”
George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
The rebirth of Mercedes, which began in Imola, continues. Since the Italian round, the W15 has grown progressively, improving with the developments but above all reacting according to the engineers’ expectations. “We have great expectations regarding the development of the car,” Wolff reiterated. “Budapest and Spa will be an important step because at the moment we are not yet adapting in the right way to all types of tracks. In Austria we were missing about two tenths of a race pace compared to Lando and Max, that’s the gap. And I think we have to make up for it on all the tracks, not just the cold and fast ones.”
On the smooth asphalt of Silverstone, however, the W15 has adapted perfectly, and although Wolff tries not to put too much pressure on expectations, Russell and Hamilton will start to make the race their own in case of rain (predicted). “If the race is dry, we will try to capitalize on the advantage of starting on the front row,” Wolff clarified. “The longer we manage to maintain the top positions, the better the final result will be.”
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
In the McLaren hospitality, just a few meters away from the Mercedes hospitality, there is an air of missed opportunity. Norris made a mistake at the crucial moment of Q3 and will start from third place, Piastri behind him behind Verstappen.
Lando is also hoping for rain, McLaren has set some setup parameters for both cars in anticipation of a wet race, but there is still some regret for a potential that even in dry conditions was front row. Piastri paid dearly for the timing of his exit from the pits in the last run. “I started the lap in Sainz’s slipstream – he explained – and that’s not ideal”.
#Mercedes #capitalizes #potential #McLaren #wasteful
