Third-row start for Mercedes F1 duo was ‘best’ team could manage

Mercedes’ Team Principal and CEO, Toto Wolff has claimed that a third-row start for the team was the best they could’ve managed ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix.

Feature image credit: Mercedes F1

It has been a mild weekend for the Mercedes team after setting the fastest time on the board in Friday afternoon’s opening hour of practice at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

George Russell crashed out of the extended FP2 session, extended to allow a Pirelli 2025 tyre test, dropping to 18th overall whilst Lewis Hamilton could only best 7th fastest. FP3 wasn’t much better for the German manufacturer as Hamilton bested fifth overall ahead of Russell, eighth.

However, qualifying was Mercedes’ best combined result so far with a fifth and sixth-place start for Sunday’s Grand Prix in Mexico City. 

According to Wolf, he claims these starting positions were ‘a fair result’ and stated the team ‘didn’t have the pace’ against the likes of Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren to battle for pole. 

“P5 and P6 was a fair result today,” said Wolff. “We didn’t have the pace of the front three teams so the third row was likely the best we could have managed. We still needed to execute well though; Qualifying was not straightforward with both Red Bull and McLaren losing a car in Q1.

“Ultimately, we were within two tenths of the front row with George, who is running the previous specification this weekend. Whilst that is a little frustrating, it can give us encouragement heading into tomorrow’s race that we may be able to pick up the pieces if those ahead don’t execute well.”

That’s P5 and P6 for George and Lewis in Mexico. Tomorrow we go racing ➡️ pic.twitter.com/Ex60EmAIHS

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) October 26, 2024

The team boss confirmed that Hamilton had also undergone some ‘small set-up changes’ ahead of qualifying, making the seven-time world champion less comfortable with the car as he had been in final practice. 

In addition, Wolff also praised his team who had to break curfew through Friday night to repair Russell’s car, after his heavy shunt at turn nine, to get his W15 ready and prepared for final practice and qualifying. 

This follows two previous incidents at the United States Grand Prix when Russell hit the wall in qualifying for the and Hamilton beached the car on the opening laps of the US GP. 

“It is important to recognise the great work of the team in the garage. They have not had an easy time of it in the past couple of races. After George’s accident yesterday, they worked through much of the night to get the car ready and did a superb job. 

“To consistently operate at that level, particularly during an intense triple-header, is testament to the team spirit and professionalism that keep driving us forward.”

Read more Formula 1 here:

• Sainz takes pole ahead of Verstappen for Mexico GP
• Perez and Piastri suffer shocking Q1 eliminations of Mexico GP
• Piastri tops undisturbed final practice ahead of Norris at Mexico GP
• FIA reject McLaren’s right of review following US GP penalty
• Sainz tops extended Mexico GP FP2 as Russell has heavy crash
• Russell fastest ahead of Sainz in dramatic F1 Mexico GP FP1 session

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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.