George Russell is confident the resurgence at Mercedes is sustainable. Last weekend in Canada was perhaps the most encouraging for the Silver Arrows since Brazil in 2022. Of course, one strong race is not enough to celebrate Mercedes’ return to the front. Therefore, the question now is whether the W15 will consistently fight at the front.
During pre-season testing, the conventional wisdom was that Red Bull was firmly at the front. This assessment was largely accurate to begin with. Verstappen took two commanding victories to start the season, worrying observers that the RB20 could dominate the entire campaign.
Thankfully, at least from the neutral perspective, this is no longer the case. Russell’s podium finish in Canada was significant. Despite failing to convert Pole Position into victory, the W15’s performance was undeniable.
This was no surprise for Mercedes. Their wind tunnel data has been very encouraging for some time now. Having taken important steps forward in understanding these ground-effect cars, Toto Wolff’s team is now getting reliable data and correlation from the wind tunnel.
GP Canada
Russell: Mercedes step forward is not just a one-off
Speaking post-race, George Russell spoke about his outlook for the rest of the year:
“I think Red Bull have struggled a little bit the last couple of races, yet they’ve still won two of the last three.
“So I expect them to probably take a small step when we go back to the European races on more conventional circuits. But I really think our performance step is true and it’s real.
“And I think we can be in this fight with McLaren. Let’s hope we can continue being in the fight with Max.”
Adding Russell and Hamilton to the battle at the front would make for an even more exciting season.
Moreover, since the regulations will be stable in 2025, it is probable there could be an intense battle at the front over the next eighteen months.
For Mercedes, unlike observers like us, such wishful thinking is counter-productive. Instead, the objective at the Brackley factory will be to consolidate their Canada podium with another strong result next in Barcelona.
