P1racenews AI automatic summary:
George Russell on pole a superb fillip for Mercedes but what happened to Lewis Hamilton?
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff expressed confidence in the team’s grip on their car after George Russell secured pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix. Despite Russell’s success, Lewis Hamilton surprisingly failed to secure a front-row start, starting from seventh place, his lowest grid slot in Canada during his F1 career. Wolff praised Russell’s performance, acknowledging the team’s positive progress in car performance. One of the key improvements mentioned by Wolff was a new front wing, but he emphasized that overall performance is a result of various elements coming together.
In response to Hamilton’s unexpected drop in performance during qualifying, Wolff expressed confusion, highlighting that both Mercedes drivers had shown strong pace leading up to the final session. Wolff acknowledged that understanding the car’s behavior has been a challenge in the current regulatory era but noted that recent developments have shown progress in finding the right balance. He emphasized the importance of maintaining perspective and continuous improvement despite their recent success, stating that one good result doesn’t define the overall performance. Wolff pointed out that enhancing downforce in specific areas has contributed to their improved performance and indicated that Mercedes aims to build on their recent successes in upcoming races.
