George Russell On Mercedes W14 Car - "We Are Struggling"

George Russell has compared this years pre-season testing to last year.

Mercedes is currently facing intense scrutiny during the Bahrain testing season. The team is determined to redeem itself after a disappointing 2022 campaign, which saw them fall to third place in the points due to porpoising and drag issues. George Russell has revealed what the team are "struggling" with this year.

According to initial feedback from the team's star drivers, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, the new challenger is suffering from poor car balance. However, they noted that the issue is relatively minor in comparison to the "alarm bells ringing" during the previous season. Russell explained that the team has made progress in the right direction.

The drivers noted that the car struggles the most with mid-corner handling, where the balance issues are most evident. They stated that the vehicle loses grip, causing the tyres to overwork, particularly in the hotter temperatures.

Mercedes' team is currently working tirelessly to resolve the balance issues, with the aim of ensuring that their car performs optimally in the upcoming races. The team is renowned for its technical expertise and innovation, and they are confident that they will find a solution soon.

The Bahrain testing season provides an opportunity for teams to assess their cars' performance and identify areas that need improvement. As a result, Mercedes' engineers are working hard to optimise the vehicle's balance, ensuring that it is ready for the upcoming racing season.

Russell explained to Autosport:

“The entry phase has been improved. I think it’s no secret when you’re watching the onboard videos that we are struggling a little bit with the balance, struggling a lot in the mid-corner.

“But I think it’s a balance that is probably easier to solve than what we had last year. So even though there’s still a limitation, let’s say it’s a good problem to have.

“Definitely in terms of feeling, it feels a step in the right direction. Compared to this time 12 months ago, things are running a lot smoother.

The British driver continued:

“When we were here last year, there were a lot of alarm bells ringing with porpoising. We weren’t sure how to solve it, we were a bit lost.

“Things have been running much smoother, reliability has been strong so far. For sure, we’ve got things we need to improve with the car.

“But, generally speaking, we are where we would have expected to be at this time of year.”