P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes reckons it ‘shot itself in the knee’ with an extreme set-up choice for Formula 1’s Austrian Grand Prix that exacerbated its tyre overheating weakness
Mercedes acknowledged that their extreme set-up choice for the Austrian Grand Prix worsened their tire overheating vulnerability, resulting in a subpar performance that fell below their expectations after their dominant win in Montreal. George Russell finished fifth, over a minute behind the winner, highlighting the team’s struggle with pace during the race. The team has been working hard for months to address the issue but has yet to find a significant solution. Despite facing challenges due to the track’s characteristics and high temperatures in Austria, the main cause of their setback was a bold mechanical set-up experiment that backfired significantly. Team boss Toto Wolff expressed disappointment with the outcome but appreciated the attempt to try something extreme, even though it did not pay off as hoped. Mercedes’ ongoing efforts to manage the tire overheating problem through mechanical adjustments and suspension settings indicate their continuous search for solutions to improve their performance.
