Mercedes did not have the smoothest race in Japan despite its run to victory last Sunday.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff acknowledged that the team didn’t provide its drivers with the best equipment for the start of the Japanese Grand Prix last weekend, leading to a slow start for the squad. Despite securing a front-row lockout with Antonelli and Russell, the team found itself down the order after the first lap. Russell dropped to fourth place and Antonelli to sixth, but Antonelli managed to reclaim the lead through a strategic pit stop during a safety car period. Russell, on the other hand, struggled after pitting before the safety car was deployed. Wolff noted that there were setup decisions and driver mistakes that affected the race outcome, along with software glitches that caused additional issues for Russell during the event.
