George Russell’s Steadiness Highlights Lewis Hamilton’s Struggles with Mercedes W15 Inconsistency
While Lewis Hamilton expressed frustration over the “inconsistency” of the Mercedes W15 following Australian Grand Prix qualifying, his teammate George Russell holds a different perspective. Hamilton approached qualifying day at Albert Park seeking significant improvements after a challenging Friday, although the final practice session hinted at progress as he closed in on the leading FP3 pace. However, the qualifying session saw a resurgence of problems for Hamilton.
George Russell’s Consistency Stands Out in Contrast to Lewis Hamilton’s Struggles
While George Russell secured P7 on the grid, Lewis Hamilton failed to advance beyond Q2 and will start from P11. Speaking to Sky F1 after the session, Hamilton highlighted the “inconsistency” of the W15, expressing frustration over its impact on his performance.
However, Russell conveyed to the media post-qualifying that he does not experience the same “fluctuations in confidence or performance” as Hamilton, indicating that the issue seems specific to Hamilton’s side of the Mercedes garage.
“I’m not encountering the same fluctuations in confidence or performance on my side of the garage or in my car compared to what Lewis is experiencing,” Russell stated. “Although it was a challenging day, we still managed to qualify P7. With expected tyre degradation in the race, there’s still everything to play for.”
Sky F1 pundit Naomi Schiff remarked that Hamilton’s inconsistencies are perplexing not only for him but also for observers, suggesting that there may be differences in the setup preferences between Hamilton and Russell.
“It’s not just affecting Hamilton’s mindset, but it’s also perplexing for us,” Schiff noted. “They’ve been grappling with inconsistencies for a while now, and it’s frustrating to hear the same explanations about the car’s issues. However, they’ve shown strength in races, and Sundays seem to bring out the best in the car. Hopefully, Hamilton can capitalize on that.”
Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok delved deeper into Hamilton’s concerns, suggesting that the unpredictability extends beyond sessions, manifesting from corner to corner, which severely impacts Hamilton’s confidence and lap times.
“It’s even more concerning; it seems to fluctuate from corner to corner,” Chandhok elaborated. “When a driver lacks confidence in predicting the car’s behavior, it affects their braking points and speed, ultimately compromising lap times. Hamilton appears to be stuck in this cycle, unable to anticipate the car’s response consistently.”
Russell’s continued success in outqualifying Hamilton over the past five race weekends underscores the stark contrast in their performances.
