The debut of Mercedes
The first day of 2024 pre-season testing concluded under the artificial lights of the circuit Sakhir, home to what will also be the first round of the world championship from 29 February to 2 March, with the race exceptionally scheduled for Saturday. After the filming days, the day was the first opportunity to see on the track all the new single-seaters presented to the world in recent weeks, Mercedes included.
Russell's results
In particular, George Russell he was the only driver from the Brackley company to have accomplished it 122 laps (Hamilton will take to the track tomorrow for the first laps, ed.), finishing in sixth position at the end of the morning with a time of 1:34.230, over a second and a half behind Max Verstappen. The Briton didn't go higher than 12th in the afternoon, despite setting a fastest lap in 1:34.109.
“It was fantastic to drive the W15 for the first time – explained Russell – ever since we hit the ground, we felt like we had a good base to start from. We have completed many laps and have a lot of data to analyze tonight. We ended the day in a reasonably good position and can go from here over the next couple of days. We will focus on maximizing learning mileage, rather than finding a sweet spot for the car.”
“Overall, the W15 is more pleasant to drive than last year's car – he added – we know that it's not a question of feeling, but of speed. However, today was about learning and not chasing performance. We are focused on ourselves in this test, and only next week will we be able to see how we stack up against others. It's been a positive first day and I can't wait to get back in the car on Friday.”
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