Mercedes Working to Improve Race Starts Ahead of Miami Grand Prix

George Russell has revealed that Mercedes is putting in considerable effort behind the scenes to address their struggles with race starts. Despite securing 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. The team's biggest weakness has been their starts, but they have been able to fight back and win the opening three races due to their pace. Ferrari, on the other hand, has been the best starter so far this season, thanks to their smaller turbo, which allows for a quicker spin-up time and makes it easier to find the optimal launch window. Drivers are limited in their opportunities to practice starts, with only the end of free practice on a Grand Prix weekend available for this purpose. Russell emphasized that while practice opportunities are scarce, the team has been analyzing data to identify areas for improvement. Speaking from Pirelli tire testing in Germany, Russell stressed that a significant amount of work is being done behind the scenes to address their weakness. The team has been utilizing simulator days to analyze the first three races and prepare for the upcoming sprint races in Miami and Montreal. Although they are not allowed to practice starts during tire testing, the team is working diligently to analyze data and implement changes to improve their performance.