Mercedes Intensifies Efforts to Enhance Race Starts

According to George Russell, the Mercedes team is dedicating considerable time and effort 'behind the scenes' to address their weakness in race starts, ahead of the Formula 1 season's resumption in Miami. Despite achieving four front-row lockouts in the first three Grands Prix and Sprint, neither Russell nor his teammate has managed to take the lead after the opening lap. While Mercedes has demonstrated sufficient pace to recover and win the initial three races, their starts have been identified as a significant area for improvement. Ferrari, on the other hand, has excelled in starts this season, thanks to their compact turbo, which enables faster spin-up times and makes it easier to find the ideal launch window. Although opportunities for drivers to practice starts are limited to the end of free practice sessions during a Grand Prix weekend, Russell emphasizes that the team has been focusing on analyzing data to rectify their flaw. In an interview with Sky Germany during Pirelli tire testing in Germany, Russell revealed that 'a huge amount is going on behind the scenes.' He explained that the team has been utilizing simulator days to analyze the first three races and prepare for the upcoming sprint races in Miami and Montreal. While they are not permitted to practice starts during tire testing, the team is working diligently to analyze data and identify areas for improvement, acknowledging the difficulties of their sport, where practice time is restricted.