According to George Russell, the Mercedes team is putting in considerable effort to enhance their race start performance ahead of the upcoming Miami Grand Prix in May. 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.
This weakness has been a significant challenge for Mercedes, but they have shown sufficient pace to recover and win the initial three races. Ferrari, on the other hand, has demonstrated exceptional starting skills this season, thanks to their compact turbo, which enables quicker spin-up times and allows drivers to find the optimal launch window more easily.
Russell emphasized that while opportunities to practice starts are limited, the team has been focusing on data analysis to address their weakness. In an interview with Sky Germany during Pirelli tire testing at the Nürburgring, Russell stated, 'There's a lot 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 events, including the Miami and Montreal Sprint races. Although they are not allowed to practice starts during tire testing, the team is working diligently to improve their performance.