Mercedes Intensifies Efforts to Enhance Race Starts

According to George Russell, the Mercedes team is diligently working to improve their race starts, a notable weakness despite their strong performance in the current Formula 1 season. With four front row lockouts, neither Russell nor his teammate has managed to take the lead after the first lap. The team acknowledges the start as their biggest weakness but has been able to recover and secure wins due to their pace. Ferrari has shown exceptional starting skills, attributed to their smaller turbo, which enables faster spin-up times and easier launch control. Drivers have limited opportunities to practice starts, mainly during free practice sessions. Russell emphasizes that while practice chances are scarce, the team is focusing on data analysis to address their flaw. 'A significant amount of work is being done behind the scenes,' Russell stated during Pirelli tire testing in Germany. The team utilizes simulator days to analyze past races and prepare for upcoming events, including the Miami and Montreal sprint races. Although they cannot practice starts during tire testing, they are dedicated to working behind the scenes, analyzing data to understand and improve their starts.