F1 News
Russell doubts Mercedes in Singapore: 'On paper it's good, but...'
- GPblog.com
Mercedes is still chasing its first win of the season. In Singapore, the team may be able to emerge competitive, but George Russell is still a little doubtful. However, according to the Briton, there will be clarity soon.
Russell sees possible limitation for Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton only had his first real chance to win a GP this year at the Dutch Grand Prix. Mercedes got off to a particularly rough start in 2022 but worked its way back. With the W13, the team seems to have good cards for a strong weekend at the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore. Russell tells Sky Sports that some things still need to be taken into account.
Russell: "There are always Safety Cars here in Singapore. It's a tough, long race. Reliability of the car could become an issue because of the length of the circuit. On paper, our car should do well on the circuit, but the combination of the ride and the bumpiness will be a limitation for us." The relatively slow track and the number of corners mean the W13 will not lose too much time against rivals Red Bull Racing and Ferrari. The bumpy track could still negate these 'gains'.
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The importance of a win for Mercedes
Russell: "We go into the weekend with an open mind and we will know within two or three laps whether it will be a good weekend for us or not." So eyes will be on Mercedes on Friday afternoon during the first free practice session. A win for the team is important in the battle against Ferrari (35 points behind), a win for Hamilton will ensure the continuation of his record and, finally, a Mercedes victory will also end Max Verstappen's winning streak of five victories.