George Russell, the rising star in Formula 1, is facing a major crisis as he expresses deep concerns about the inherent issues plaguing Mercedes’ 2025 car. After a disappointing performance at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, where Russell finished a lackluster seventh, the British driver is sounding the alarm bells about the team’s struggles in hot conditions.
Despite starting third on the grid, Russell plummeted down the ranks during the race due to a combination of poor strategy calls and unfavorable Virtual Safety Car timing. The young driver admitted that Mercedes’ pace significantly drops in warm weather, highlighting a consistent trend that has been detrimental to their performance.
Russell, currently fourth in the drivers’ standings, emphasized the urgent need to address the fundamental problems with the car, stating, “There’s clearly something more fundamental in the car.” Despite managing to secure four podium finishes in the previous six races, Russell’s concerns about the car’s performance in hot conditions are valid and worrisome.
The Mercedes team, already 132 points behind McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship, is grappling with a lack of speed and performance issues that have been exacerbated by high temperatures. With the European triple-header in full swing, including the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix on the horizon, Mercedes faces a race against time to rectify the car’s shortcomings.
As the competition heats up on the track, Russell and Mercedes are under immense pressure to find solutions and improve their performance before falling further behind their rivals. With the Monaco Grand Prix looming large, all eyes will be on Mercedes to see if they can overcome the “baked in” issues and reignite their championship ambitions in the scorching summer races.