Russell harassed that getting the tyres to work successfully within the face of fixing observe temperatures was the most important problem confronted by all drivers, and he conceded that his staff “acquired it flawed.”
Mercedes had a troublesome Friday, with Lewis Hamilton ending FP2 in seventh, and Russell in tenth.
Each drivers believed that there was scope for enchancment on Saturday, however regardless of making some Positive adjustments to their vehicles in a single day they finished qualifying in sixth and eighth respectively.
“We undoubtedly did,” mentioned Russell when requested by Autosport if the staff made progress. “However it was only a completely up and down day.
“In FP3, we had been the quickest at factors and confirmed actually robust tempo. Went out in Q1 with no grip, off the tempo. Q2, the automobile felt again to regular, and we had been fast. And we went out in Q3, and the identical occurred once more.
“I believe most likely Daniel [Ricciardo] was the one driver at the moment who was probably the most constant. The Ferraris had been off the tempo at factors. After which clearly Alex [Albon] was the quickest at factors, clearly, he ought to have been in Q3 however wasn’t. It is fairly irritating when it is like this.”
Picture by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Images
George Russell, Mercedes-AMG
Russell mentioned that the Pirelli tyres had been on a knife-edge by way of optimisation.
“It is simply how the tyre interacts with the out lap,” he mentioned. “The temperature dropping, you are at all times looking for that further little bit of efficiency.
“However for no matter cause, there gave the impression to be a sudden drop once you had been a small margin over that restrict.
“Both the blokes simply discovered that restrict and acquired huge efficiency, or they had been over the restrict, and had no efficiency. It’s a bit irritating when it is like this, however we have to recognise we did not get it proper.”
Russell acknowledged that it gained’t be a straightforward race for Mercedes on Sunday, with managing temperatures in visitors more likely to be a giant problem.
“In FP3 we thought we had been preventing for the entrance two rows in qualifying,” he mentioned. “And possibly had a race automobile that was fast sufficient to combat for the rostrum.
“Beginning in P8 and P6 for Lewis and I, we’ll have a extremely difficult day tomorrow. It is a disgrace.
“It is at all times difficult right here in Mexico, everyone’s preventing for brake temperatures, engine temperatures, and as quickly as you are making an attempt to overhaul and combat a automobile, you possibly can’t, since you breach these limits.
“It is the character of the beast, and we simply want to simply accept we acquired it flawed at the moment. And it is most likely compromised our complete weekend.”
Hamilton was adamant that regardless of the adjustments for qualifying the W14 was merely not fast sufficient.
“The automobile has not been nice this weekend,” he mentioned. “Story of my life in the mean time this 12 months. It is no completely different to any of the opposite races. Austin was a standout race for us, nevertheless it’s again to the traditional automobile.
“The automobile has typically been the identical. We made a become qualifying, I believed the automobile was nicer to drive not less than, however usually, it is simply not that quick.”
Requested about his hopes for the race, Hamilton was pessimistic: “We’ve acquired a little bit of a battle on our fingers. Overheating is a matter for us. Brake overheating, these types of issues.
“So staying in battles goes to be powerful, managing tyres goes to be powerful tomorrow. If we will progress forwards on technique, then we’ll attempt to do this.”
Extra reporting by Mandy Curi