Toto Wolff says Mercedes’s efficiency in Saudi Arabia was their ‘worst of the 12 months to date’ (Getty Photos)
labelled ’s efficiency on the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as their “worst efficiency of the 12 months” to date.
The Silver Arrows had hopes of a fourth podium in 5 races, with qualifying third on the grid and only a tenth-of-a-second off pole-sitter .
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But surprisingly, Mercedes didn’t have the race-pace of their rivals and Russell was overtaken by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and McLaren’s Lando Norris, .
Teenage star , who certified fifth on the grid, completed a spot decrease in sixth.
“It was clearly our worst efficiency of the 12 months to date,” Mercedes F1 CEO and staff principal Wolff mentioned.
“The tempo simply dropped away with blistering, overheating tyres and to date we haven’t received an evidence.
“You handle your expectations being the second quickest, and even that isn’t clearly what we might want to obtain, and then you definately see the race panning out prefer it did.
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“It simply provides to the frustration of the state of affairs.”
Russell added that the W16 automotive clearly struggles with tyre overheating, admitting that it’s a “weak spot” of their 2025 challenger at the moment.
“I used to be pushing arduous to stick with Max originally of the second stint,” Russell mentioned. “However I knew I wasn’t going to have the ability to maintain on and we fell off that cliff in the direction of the top.
Russell completed fifth after qualifying third on the grid (Getty Photos)
“I used to be dropping a second a lap within the final 15 laps, however to be honest, we simply didn’t have the tempo and even when I had managed extra, I believe I nonetheless would have come house in P5.
“We all know that it’s a little bit of a weak spot of our automotive in the intervening time. And coming house P5 on a nasty day – we’ll take it – however we have to try to enhance it shortly.
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“We have to perceive why Bahrain was so optimistic, as a result of that’s additionally an overheating observe, however a really completely different sort of overheating to what you expertise right here in Jeddah.
“We had greater hopes for the race right this moment than we had for Bahrain, and it type of turned out the other.”
The following race of the 2025 season is the Miami Grand Prix on 2-4 Might.
