P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes struggled to match Ferrari in Friday practice for the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix
George Russell acknowledged Ferrari as the team to beat in Monaco and admitted that Mercedes needs to improve for Saturday. Ferrari led both FP1 and FP2, with Mercedes settling for P4 and P5 in both sessions. Russell mentioned that Ferrari’s performance was expected, with Red Bull proving to be a surprise as well. He emphasized the need for Mercedes to make significant progress overnight to close the gap to Ferrari. Despite the challenges faced, Russell believes in Mercedes’ ability to improve and compete with Ferrari. Kimi Antonelli, the World Championship leader, expressed dissatisfaction with Mercedes’ Friday performance and highlighted the need for adjustments before qualifying on Saturday.
