P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes explains F1 Japan one-stop strategy attempt
Russell and Hamilton finished in the seventh and ninth positions, respectively, which was a reversal of their qualifying results. Their poor performance in qualifying and struggles with the hard tires at the start prevented them from making significant progress in the race. Despite trying a one-stop strategy with new hard tires after a red flag restart, Mercedes had to switch to a two-stop strategy due to poor pace during the race. Mercedes opted for a one-stop strategy to differentiate themselves from the frontrunners and utilize the fresh hard tires at their disposal. The team faced challenges with overheating and lack of grip during the first stint on hard tires, impacting their performance. While their second stint on hard tires and final run on mediums showed improvement, Mercedes is still analyzing the issues faced during the race.
