Russell Dampens Mercedes' Las Vegas Hopes, Cites W16's Critical Changes

George Russell is urging Mercedes to be "realistic" about their prospects at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, suggesting a repeat of last year's dominant performance is unlikely. Twelve months ago, Mercedes secured a one-two in Sin City, but Russell believes significant changes to the W16 car, while improving overall performance, might hinder its competitiveness in Las Vegas' unique low-grip, cool conditions.

Why it matters:

Mercedes' performance in Las Vegas last year was a standout, creating high expectations for this weekend. However, Russell's caution indicates that the team's relentless development of the W16, aimed at broader improvements across the season, may have inadvertently sacrificed some of its specific strengths that shone on the unique Las Vegas street circuit. This shift highlights the ongoing trade-offs teams face in optimizing cars for diverse track characteristics, especially on a non-traditional circuit like Vegas.

The Details:

• Last Year's Success: In 2023, Mercedes achieved a dominant one-two finish in Las Vegas, with Russell leading Lewis Hamilton.
• W16 Development: Russell attributes the change in outlook to significant modifications made to the W16 over the past year. While these changes have generally improved the car's performance throughout the season, they might not be as suited to the specific challenges of the Las Vegas track.
• Unique Conditions: The Las Vegas Grand Prix is known for its cool evening temperatures and low-grip surface, presenting a distinct challenge that some car setups handle better than others.
• Practice Sessions: Russell finished ninth in FP1 and seventh in a disrupted FP2. He noted that his best lap in FP2 was interrupted by a red flag.
• Competitive Field: Russell observed that several rivals, including Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, and Kimi Antonelli, showed strong pace, suggesting a tight competition. Antonelli, in particular, was second quickest in FP2.
• Rival Adaptations: Russell also suspects that other teams might have made specific adjustments to their cars for this weekend, learning from Mercedes' strong performance in Las Vegas last season, further tightening the field.

What's next:

Russell's pragmatic assessment underscores that Mercedes is not viewing this weekend as a guaranteed success. While the team remains "there or thereabouts" in terms of pace, the focus will be on fine-tuning the W16 to better adapt to the specific conditions of the Las Vegas track during qualifying and the race. Their ability to quickly optimize their package will determine if they can challenge for the top spots or if their season-long development has indeed shifted their competitive edge away from this unique event. Mercedes' strategy will be closely watched to see if they can unlock unexpected performance despite Russell's tempered expectations.