“We currently have a lame horse,” George Russell issues ruthless condemnation of the Mercedes W14
In a ruthless and blunt assessment of the Mercedes W14, the team's 2023 F1 challenge, George Russell compared it to a "lame horse".
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Mercedes' driver George Russell
Mercedes have been on the back foot ever since the start of the 2022 season. Soon after, it became very apparent that they just couldn’t compete with Red Bull, and in most cases, with even Ferrari. By their own standards, that’s unacceptable. The work to remedy this is ongoing. And though there had been much talk of a three-way title fight, it hasn’t manifested. The W14 is not a bad car per se, but ultimately, it’s not good enough for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
After all, neither the Silver Arrows nor the drivers, are in F1 to compete for second place. They want to win, and unfortunately, their chances of even winning races look slim right now. For championships, there’s an even worse outlook. Red Bull are clearly on top, and Mercedes are just among their three main challengers, alongside Aston Martin and Ferrari. In addition, the W14 is not particularly easy to drive or set up.
So, while they’re pursuing a change of car concept, which should in theory improve the machinery, right now, it’s rather problematic. And in an interview with Sport Bild, Russell even compared it to a ‘lame horse’. When asked if the car with his former team Williams was easier to drive, the Mercedes driver said: “It is comparable to riding a horse. A Mercedes is a faster horse than a Williams. But it’s not all about speed.”
He continued: “If you ride a horse from A to B and it doesn’t zig, it’s like sitting in a Formula 1 car that suits your driving style. One merges into another. We currently have a lame horse. We know it has a lot of power in it, but it isn’t happy that anyone wants to ride it, nor does it suit the way it’s riding. It still has a mind of its own that sometimes risks throwing you off. We still have to get used to each other and develop it to make it fast and tame.”
George Russell on whether he regrets moving to Mercedes
In such a situation, a driver may wish he had opted for a move to a more successful team. Right now, Mercedes are obviously not competitive at the top of the food chain. But that does not mean that George Russell regrets joining them. When posed this question, he answered: “Not a second. In Formula 1 there is only one driver on a team who is happy: the one who won last.”
If the Briton had to pick a team to call home, it would be Mercedes. He continued: “We will be doing this more often in the future because Mercedes has the best mechanics and engineers. I was relieved when I came to the factory after the start of the season and saw how hard everyone is working. No panic, no chaos. All are focused on solutions. I didn’t expect otherwise, but it reassured me that if I had to pick one place for the next 15 years, it would undoubtedly be Mercedes.”
The W14 may soon improve considerably. The interview was conducted before the Australian Grand Prix, so in some aspects, it already has improved. It seemed like the second-best car in Melbourne, and Russell and Hamilton gave much trouble to Max Verstappen at the start of the race. Though Russell himself eventually retired, and Hamilton had to settle for a P2, the team showed promise.
In case you missed it:
- F1 Australian GP: “Did Mercedes hire Ferrari engineers” – Fans react as George Russell retires due to a mechanical failure
- F1 Australian GP: “I’m being attacked by my own teammate,” George Russell blasts Mercedes for being told to ‘manage’ when Lewis Hamilton’s on his tail
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Aniket Tripathi
(1002 Articles Published)