Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto congratulates Mercedes on improvements, but 'I don't think we have to worry yet.'
ATPImagesGetty ImagesRed Bull and Ferrari aren’t exactly sweating over the fact that Mercedes showed marked improvement at the recent Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, where George Russell finished third and Lewis Hamilton fifth.After struggling badly at the start of the all-new ground effect era, Russell was on the podium in Barcelona, and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff thought Lewis Hamilton was the fastest driver on track.
“I’m not euphoric, but we’ve taken a big step forward,” team boss Wolff told European media outlet ORF. “We’ve freed ourselves from the midfield, and Lewis’ pace was so strong that he would have been in contention for the win.”
Mercedes’ George Russell has quietly become the most consistent driver on the F1 grid. He has finished in the top five in all six races.
ATPImagesGetty Images
The big breakthrough, Wolff said, was with Mercedes’ “understanding” of the porpoising phenomenon, but some are warning that the step made in Spain wasn’t giant.”In qualifying, Mercedes are still lacking quite a bit to Red Bull and Ferrari,” former F1 driver Timo Glock told Sky Deutschland. “At least they’ve come a little closer, but Mercedes now has to add another (upgrade) package.”Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto agrees that Mercedes has not yet caught up.”They’ve improved, and congratulations to the team for developing the car well,” said Binotto. “But if you look at Russell’s gap at the finish, it was 30 seconds. And seven tenths in qualifying, that’s also significant. But I don’t think we have to worry yet.”
Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko, meanwhile, said: “Mercedes is not yet a serious opponent. You could see that when Sergio Perez easily passed Russell. But they are getting closer. And maybe it happens even faster than we would like.”
Keyword: F1 Leaders Red Bull, Ferrari Not Worried About Mercedes' Perceived Gains