According to George Russell, the Mercedes team is dedicated to improving their race starts, a crucial aspect that has proven to be their Achilles' heel, ahead of the Formula 1 season resuming in Miami. Despite achieving four front row lockouts in the initial three Grands Prix and Sprint, neither Russell nor his teammate has managed to take the lead after the first lap. The team has been focusing on analyzing data to rectify this issue, with Russell emphasizing that a significant amount of work is being done 'behind the scenes'.
Ferrari has demonstrated exceptional starting skills, attributed to their compact turbo, which enables quicker spin-up times and facilitates finding the optimal launch window. While drivers have limited opportunities to practice starts during Grand Prix weekends, the Mercedes team has been utilizing simulator days to examine their starts in the first three races and prepare for the upcoming sprint races in Miami and Montreal.