2024 Miami Grand Prix, Friday – Jiri Krenek
Wolff felt dismay, disgust, and despair as he witnessed his underperforming cars struggle to keep up with customer team McLaren, not to mention Max Verstappen’s leading Red Bull. Verstappen secured pole position for today’s Sprint Race, even referring to his own lap as “terrible”, highlighting Mercedes’ poor performance.
Mercedes can no longer rely on excuses. It has become a familiar sight to see the once dominant team fighting in the midfield with their third package, unable to improve the car’s performance between sessions. This was evident once again in Miami.
Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes team principal, acknowledged another disappointing day, stating: “Unfortunately, as we have seen on several occasions this year, we were not able to keep up with the progress made by others when it mattered most.”
He continued: “While the field was competitive, we will not make excuses for both our cars being eliminated in SQ2. We need to do a better job of maintaining the car’s optimal performance and realizing its full potential, as we have shown in previous sessions.”
Naturally, we are disappointed with today’s result. The team completed a full program in FP1, and both drivers were pleased with the car’s balance. We made minimal adjustments before Sprint Qualifying, intending to preserve the car’s positive characteristics for the afternoon session.
“Our goal in the Sprint Race is to secure points for both cars. We are aware that starting in P11 and P12 will be challenging, but we will be fully committed to achieving this. Additionally, we intend to gather more information about the car’s behavior during the Sprint Race, allowing us to improve its performance for Qualifying and the Grand Prix later in the weekend,” Shovlin added.
For Saturday’s race, Mercedes will occupy the sixth row on the starting grid, with Russell and Hamilton in P11 and P12, respectively. George was half a second behind the fastest time in Q2, while Lewis was lacking a few tenths more.
Mercedes once again introduced modifications to the car for the race in Miami, but unfortunately, these updates did not bring positive results. Despite Toto Wolff’s optimistic expectations, the changes did not have the desired effect during the Sprint Qualifying (SQ), disappointing the drivers.
Lewis Hamilton expressed his initial satisfaction with the car’s performance during the first practice session (FP1), praising the balance. However, the situation worsened during the Sprint Qualifying, with the car’s balance deteriorating. Although they were close to advancing to SQ3, they were unable to be at the front of the pack.
Starting from 12th position, Hamilton acknowledged the challenges they will face during the Sprint race. He recognized the difficulty of following and overtaking on this circuit, so he does not expect significant progress. However, the team will strive to score points.
Teammate George Russell echoed Hamilton’s sentiments, emphasizing the positive experience with the soft tire in FP1. However, they struggled to find the ideal performance with the medium tire, putting them at a disadvantage.
Russell recognized that they should not be in such a precarious position near the cutoff point. They will work overnight to make improvements for the main Qualifying session, aiming to overcome their difficulties in this aspect. Starting from a disadvantaged position makes it challenging to compete with the cars ahead.
Russell also noted that other teams, such as McLaren and Aston Martin, have introduced significant updates for this race. Mercedes, on the other hand, faced similar challenges to their competitors, with the updates not delivering the desired result.
In summary, it’s the same recurring problem for Mercedes. Despite Toto Wolff’s optimistic statement about future improvements, these modifications did not bring positive results in Miami.
© 2024
The sports world is in shock with the bombshell news that has just emerged. A reliable source revealed that one of the greatest football players in the world is about to retire. Yes, you read that right! The star who captivated millions of fans with his extraordinary skills on the field is ready to hang up his boots.
According to exclusive information obtained by our reporting team, the player, who preferred to keep his identity confidential, has already informed his closest family members and club officials of his decision. The news caught everyone by surprise, as the athlete is still at the peak of his career and has a legion of fans around the world.
At 35 years old, the player has a career full of achievements. He has been a national and international champion several times, in addition to receiving numerous individual awards. His refined technique and unique playing style have made him a living legend in football.
However, it seems that the player feels it is time to end this phase of his life and dedicate himself to new projects. It is still not known for sure what the athlete’s future plans will be, but there is speculation that he may pursue a career as a coach or even get involved in social work.
While we await the official announcement of retirement, the player’s fans are already starting to say goodbye on social media. The hashtag #ThankYouStar is already among the most commented topics on Twitter, with messages of gratitude and admiration for the legacy left by the athlete.
Certainly, football will miss this unparalleled talent. But, as they say, everything has an end. Now we just have to wait for the next news and see how the outcome of this story that marked an era in world sports will be.
