P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff says the “unexpected” need to cool the engine on both its cars during the
George Russell capitalized on Charles Leclerc’s brake troubles to move up behind leader Max Verstappen at the start of the race, but later lost positions after being instructed not to use his overtake mode. Lewis Hamilton struggled to make progress from ninth place and finished the race in seventh after being warned to cool his powertrain. Mercedes faced engine cooling issues that hampered their performance, leading to a gap in power compared to their rivals. Despite hopes of closing the gap to Red Bull, Max Verstappen dominated the race with a significant lead and impressive performance. Toto Wolff acknowledged Verstappen’s exceptional performance and expressed confidence in Mercedes’ ability to improve and compete with Red Bull in the future season. Despite the challenges faced, Wolff remains optimistic that Mercedes can catch up to Red Bull, citing Sergio Perez’s deficit to Verstappen as a potential opportunity for improvement.
