The two Mercedes drivers, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, lead the way in Montreal on Friday, setting the two fastest times in FP2. However, despite their strong performance, they remain cautious and won’t draw too much confidence after just one practice session.
As Mercedes arrives in Canada, their primary focus is to assess the effectiveness of the updates introduced to the W14 car at the Monaco Grand Prix. The team seeks to replicate the success they achieved in Barcelona, where they secured their best result of the year with a double podium finish.
Quickest on the soft tyre
During Friday’s session, both Mercedes drivers keep a low profile for the majority of FP2, occupying the back of the order. Towards the end of the session, they switch to soft tires, enabling them to set the two fastest times. Hamilton and Russell are separated by a mere 27 thousandths of a second.
Reflecting on the day’s work, Lewis Hamilton acknowledges the improvements made by the team since Monaco but maintains a cautious stance.
“Overall, the car was good today, but we still have some work to do,” Hamilton states on Friday evening.
“We need to improve the driving control and balance in the corners, and I believe we’ll get there. The car as a whole has taken a step forward since the beginning of the season, and I can feel the progress we made in Monaco and Barcelona.”
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Race pace could be decisive
George Russell shares a similar sentiment, emphasising the challenge of comparing the W14’s performance between Barcelona and Montreal due to the stark differences in the two circuits.
“Barcelona and here are two completely different circuits, so it’s challenging to make direct comparisons,” explains the British driver. He highlights Barcelona’s super-smooth, high-speed nature compared to Montreal’s bumpy track surface.
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Russell acknowledges the positive impact of the improvements made to the car but anticipates being slightly behind Ferrari and Aston Martin in terms of qualifying pace. Nevertheless, he remains confident in Mercedes’ ability to excel on race day, emphasising the significance of Sunday’s performance.
“I think the improvements we’ve made have helped. In terms of pace, I think we’re going to be behind Ferrari and Aston Martin in qualifying. But we know we’re better on Sunday and that’s when it counts.”
As the weekend progresses, both drivers are maintaining a cautious approach, recognising the need for further development and improvements despite their impressive performance on Friday.
Mercedes say their primary objective is continuous improvement to ensure they remain competitive against their rivals, Canada is just another step.
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So, numbers one and two became numbers ten and fifteen. What a lot of hype, what a lot of crowing after the Spanish GP!! After 2021, the MB folks should have learned to play it down till they had something worthwhile to show. But of course their hubris won’t allow them to do that.