F1 News: George Russell Brings Mercedes W14 To Sticky End At Abu Dhabi Testing
George Russell's Abu Dhabi test session ended abruptly as he crashed his Mercedes W14, overshadowing the final moments of the 2023 F1 season.
Key Takeaways:
- Ocon Tops the Timesheet: Alpine's Esteban Ocon claimed the fastest time, surpassing Ferrari's Carlos Sainz.
- Russell's Crash: Mercedes' George Russell encountered a crash due to car issues, curtailing his testing session.
- Other Technical Issues: The session saw delays and a stoppage from AlphaTauri's Iwasa's car trouble.
Mercedes driver George Russell's day of testing at Abu Dhabi came to an unexpected and premature end following a crash. Renowned F1 journalist Chris Medland reported on the incident, stating:
"On Russell’s crash earlier, something appeared to fail and it meant he went straight on at Turn 6. Driver was fine but a fair bit of damage to the front right corner and wing/nose so it ended their running."
The session was vital for teams to gather last-minute data and insights before heading into the off-season, and Alpine's Esteban Ocon managed to set the fastest time, overtaking Ferrari's Carlos Sainz. However, Russell's crash became the day's focal point. Mercedes later confirmed that a car problem led to the crash. In contrast, Fred Vesti, also driving for Mercedes during testing, came third on the timesheets.
Apart from Russell's crash, the day was marred by other technical difficulties. AlphaTauri's driver, Iwasa, had to retire his car in the last hour, likely due to a power unit failure, as indicated by smoke from his car. This led to one of the two red flags during the session, with the first being caused by the lack of medical emergency helicopters, resulting in a 30-minute delay.
With the final laps complete and the sun well and truly set on the Yas Marina Circuit, the focus of the F1 world now inevitably shifts towards the 2024 season. Every team will find themselves in an uphill struggle as they attempt to climb to the top of the grid and surpass the ever-so-dominant Red Bull team. Can Mercedes do it? Only time will tell.
Not a long wait though, is it?