In the development of its W16 for 2025, Mercedes continues to grapple with poor thermal management, especially at the rear axle, a weakness carried over from the previous season.
This flaw, while advantageous in colder races like the 2024 Las Vegas event, poses challenges in higher temperatures, risking tire overheating.
During FP2, both Mercedes drivers, Russell and Antonelli, experimented with longer runs on soft tires to address thermal degradation concerns for the upcoming race on Sunday.
George Russell expressed concerns about the team’s pace at Barcelona and acknowledged the struggle on Sundays despite consistent qualifying performance.
Russell remains hopeful that the harder tire option might offer more durability under overheating conditions compared to softer compounds, providing a potential advantage.
While Mercedes made adjustments to improve race pace, both drivers anticipate a difficult race due to thermal management issues and stiff competition from other teams.
Looking ahead to the race, the Mercedes team aims to maintain tire condition in hot temperatures and seeks to translate their improved qualifying performance into a strong showing during the event.
