George Russell expressed his dissatisfaction with Lewis Hamilton’s preparations during the Q3 qualifying session for the Spanish Grand Prix. The Mercedes team has been struggling to recover from a disappointing start to the 2024 season, but both drivers, Hamilton and Russell, have struggled to achieve impressive results. In contrast, rival teams have had a much better start to the campaign. Russell turned to the team radio during the Q3 session to express his discontent with Hamilton’s pit strategy.
Hamilton, who is often outperformed by Russell, seemed to be enjoying himself at the Spanish Grand Prix circuit. The seven-time world champion’s setup in the practice session allowed him to set the fastest lap time. As a result, Hamilton was preparing his car for the final Q3 session, which left Russell upset.
The 26-year-old vented his frustration towards Hamilton over the team radio, using strong language and questioning the actions of the former champion. In order to regain control of his position in the drivers’ championship, Hamilton needs to start achieving better results. Therefore, he must bring his best performance to the Spanish Grand Prix.
The Spanish Grand Prix marked a significant improvement for the struggling Mercedes team. The practice and qualifying sessions showed a noticeable increase in performance. Russell had previously expressed his satisfaction with Hamilton’s performance in the practice session. He also mentioned that the W15 car had strengthened compared to the beginning of the season.
Furthermore, Russell acknowledged the team’s progress after the introduction of improvements from the Monaco Grand Prix. The W15 performed well in high-speed corners, which motivated the 26-year-old to perform better. He believed that the pace of a lap from the Mercedes challenger was competitive and close to that of rival teams.
Mercedes fell behind rival teams in the constructors’ championship, resulting in slim chances of a late-season recovery. However, the team will continue to fight throughout the season in hopes of improving their position by the end of 2024.
