Australian Grand Prix: George Russell and Mercedes searching for higher ‘headline’ occasions after follow

The primary two follow classes of the Method 1 season are within the books, and all ten groups are pouring via the info seeking improved lap occasions.

Friday’s two classes had been one thing of a combined bag for Mercedes. Whereas each George Russell and rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli confirmed sturdy tempo on longer runs with the more durable C3 and C4 tire compounds, their one-lap tempo was off what their rivals confirmed on Friday. Russell completed FP1 in P7, whereas Antonelli was P14 on the timing sheets.

Each drivers slid again on the board in FP2, with Russell in P10 and Antonelli down in P16.

Whereas these “headline” occasions present that Mercedes has some work to do forward of qualifying on Saturday, the info from the longer runs is far more encouraging. Throughout FP1 Russell ran an prolonged stint on the C4 medium compound, with occasions starting from 1:22.194 to 1:23.341. These lap occasions had been a skinny margin forward of what Max Verstappen posted on an analogous run on the identical compound throughout FP1, as illustrated right here because of F1 Tempo:

Throughout FP2 Russell put collectively an extended run on the C3 exhausting compound, posting constant occasions within the 1:21.739 to 1:22.244 vary:

“It was an fascinating first day of the season,” mentioned Russell within the workforce’s post-session report. “We seemed notably fast on the Exhausting and Medium compounds, and the general stability of the automobile felt sturdy.

“On the Gentle tire, we didn’t enhance as a lot as you may count on.

“That’s one thing we are going to consider in a single day however, with the observe temperature over 40°C at this time, which will have performed a component. It’s encouraging that there’s inherent tempo within the automobile although, as we’ve seen on the C3 and C4 compounds,” added Russell. “Our focus is now unlocking that tempo throughout all three tire compounds and hopefully we are able to do this tomorrow.”

Antonelli described Friday as a “constructive” first day.

“It was a constructive first day of the season. General, I used to be happy with how every part went. I’m getting increasingly more assured with every lap and proceed to construct my studying,” mentioned the rookie driver. “The long term in FP2 was good and provides us a powerful platform for the remainder of the weekend.

“We’ve bought some work to do on the one lap to discover a bit extra efficiency; that’s primarily linked to getting the tires in the appropriate window and one thing we are going to deal with enhancing in a single day. We’ve bought loads of information to work with to do this forward of Saturday,” added Antonelli.

Andrew Shovlin, the workforce’s Trackside Engineering Director, praised the efficiency on the more durable compounds however did notice that the workforce wanted to search out extra efficiency when it got here to the “headline” occasions.

“The automobile was behaving properly, notably in the long term and the more durable C3 and C4 compounds,” mentioned Shovlin. “Trying on the headline occasions, we’ve bought some work to do on enhancing our single-lap efficiency on the Gentle compound forward of Qualifying. We’ve already bought some areas of focus although and are assured we are able to take steps to do this in a single day.”

Neither Shovlin nor Antonelli had been able to make any predictions concerning the pecking order in Melbourne.

“It’s barely too early to make any predictions on our relative efficiency. We don’t know what the opposite groups are doing, and we had been offset on tire technique at this time,” mentioned Antonelli. “The automobile was feeling good although and we are going to see what we are able to do in Qualifying tomorrow.”

“As was anticipated forward of the weekend, it appears to be like shut between a number of groups on the entrance,” added Shovlin. “We had been barely offset with our tyre alternative in FP2 so it’s exhausting to foretell the relative order.

“What we are able to say although is that even small enhancements will seemingly make a giant distinction.”