Here's why George Russell feels Mercedes is lagging behind in qualifying

George Russell feels that Mercedes might be lagging in qualifying due to tire degradation issues after their out laps. The Briton revealed that the team is yet to pinpoint the exact reasons behind their slow qualifying pace.

Explaining their weaknesses in terms of qualifying pace, the Briton spoke to the on-site media at the 2022 F1 Italian GP weekend, saying:

“That’s something that we, after 15 races, are still trying to comprehend. There’s no doubt that we’re very good at the tyre temperature management, and that probably plays against us in qualifying. I think those midfield cars, which potentially induce more temperature into the tyres naturally, can afford to go slower on their out laps, damage the tyres less, and they might have even more performance for a single lap.”

George Russell theorized that they might be damaging their tire surfaces excessively during their quick out laps, which could lead to a potential loss in performance during qualifying. The Briton, however, believes Mercedes are still searching for answers in terms of their poor qualifying pace.

Outlining a possible theory, Russell said:

“Where you see with us pretty consistently, our out laps have to be so fast in qualifying to get the temperature, then we’re damaging the surface of the tyre. And that’s probably why we’re on the back foot in qualifying. But it’s just a theory. We don’t have a lot of merit to back up that argument just yet.”

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George Russell underlines Lewis Hamilton’s strengths

George Russell reckons a low-speed corner performance has been a strong suit for Lewis Hamilton. The Mercedes driver praised his seven-time world champion teammate and revealed the influence he has had on him as a driver.

Hailing the British champion’s strengths, Russell said:

“I feel so fortunate being team-mates with Lewis because it has given me such an opportunity to see his strengths and where I can learn from him and he is definitely very strong in certain areas. He is always very strong in low-speed corners and under braking, he has always been very strong and it has been interesting to see his approach to certain issues and how he goes about it.”

On his learnings as Hamilton’s teammate, Russell said:

“There is no doubt that I have probably widened that envelope of my driving skills by being his team-mate. There is not really a way to measure whether you are a better driver or not, there are so many factors that go into it.”

Having had a consistent maiden season at Mercedes so far, George Russell believes his teammate has had an exceptional influence on improving his skillset. The Mercedes junior driver currently leads Hamilton by 35 points, as they are placed fourth and sixth respectively in the drivers' standings.