Mercedes has delved into the reasons behind George Russell’s challenges with the W14 this season.
The British driver had earlier confessed to grappling with the W14 challenger, even describing a regression compared to his rivals.
While Mercedes faced difficulties in competing for victories once again, teammate Lewis Hamilton managed to outperform Russell throughout the year.
Hamilton, the seven-time World Champion, accumulated 148 points against Russell’s 99, showcasing his stronger comfort in race conditions.
Russell’s transition to Mercedes from Williams last year, after three successful seasons, resulted in a promising debut campaign, including his maiden win in Brazil.
Since Hamilton’s defeat to former teammate Nico Rosberg in 2016, George Russell managed to beat the seven-time world champion in his rookie season at Mercedes after Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas failed to do so.
However, this year has presented contrasting outcomes for Russell, with his solitary podium achieved in Spain.
Formula 1’s recent technical regulations lowered cars for improved ground effect and stiffened suspensions, creating challenges in maintaining cornering balance.
Mercedes’ Chief Technical Officer, Mike Elliott, stated these changes contribute to George Russell’s racing difficulties.
“I think these cars are hard to drive, they’re hard to drive when they’re running close to the ground,” he said.
“And it’s tricky to sort of find that right balance through the corner. And it’s tricky to deal with the sort of stiffness of the cars.
“I’m sure George is a fantastic driver, I’m sure he can [find] what he needs to get what he needs to get out of the car fairly quickly.”
