Mercedes Working to Improve Race Starts Ahead of Miami Grand Prix

George Russell has revealed that the Mercedes team is putting in significant effort behind the scenes to enhance their race starts, a crucial area for improvement as they prepare for the upcoming Miami Grand Prix in May. 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. The team's inability to secure strong starts has been their major weakness, but they have shown impressive pace to bounce back and win the initial three races. Ferrari, on the other hand, have excelled in starts this season, thanks to their smaller turbo, which allows for quicker spin-up times and makes it easier to find the optimal launch window. Russell emphasized that while practice opportunities for starts are limited, the team has been focusing on data analysis to address their weakness. In an interview during Pirelli tire testing in Germany, Russell stressed that a substantial amount of work is being done behind the scenes, including simulator days and data analysis, to improve their starts. The team is looking to build on their understanding of why they have struggled with race starts and make necessary adjustments before the Miami Grand Prix, which takes place on May 1-3.