Mercedes have been in no man’s land for much of this season, unable to challenge the top three teams but faster than the likes of Aston Martin and Visa Cash App RB.
However, the Canadian Grand Prix suddenly showed a glimpse of the speed Mercedes finally possess after years of being in the Formula 1 wilderness.
Speaking on the Nailing the Apex Podcast, Tim Hauraney has shared what George Russell told him about how his Mercedes had been performing on the simulator before the race.
Mercedes have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to try and fix the problems they’ve encountered this year.
It looks like that work might finally be paying off.
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George Russell shares Mercedes sim performance after the Canadian Grand Prix
It was reported at the start of the season that Mercedes were struggling with limitations with their simulator.
It appeared as though changes they were making to the car based on the data being collected wasn’t matching up with what was happening on the track.
It left George Russell and Lewis Hamilton scratching their heads across various race weekends.
In some sessions, they would be among the fastest cars on the track before falling way down the pecking order just a few hours later.
It’s too soon to say that Mercedes have cracked it off the back of one good weekend, especially as the circuit in Montreal is different to what they’ll face in Spain.
However, Hauraney has shared how surprised Russell was when he tested Mercedes’s new upgrades in the simulator before the race.
For once, that increase in performance was reflected by what happened on the track.
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Mercedes will hope they’ve finally solved their simulator issues
Recalling his conversation with Russell, Hauraney said: “George [Russell] was telling me that he had done some sim sessions with the new upgrades before he flew to Canada and then got out of the sim and was like, ‘Are these numbers real?’
“He couldn’t believe the amount of pace that they had.
“He was questioning, like the car felt good, but are these numbers real? So, coming into Canada and getting pole position, turns out that those numbers were real.
“It was real performances from them and George in the same boat as Lewis [Hamilton] doesn’t make as many mistakes as he does and tries to stay focused in some parts.
“I was talking to George after the race and he was really hard on himself, maybe a little bit too hard on himself.”
Russell and Hamilton will now have to hope that their performance in Canada wasn’t unique to the track and the conditions.
The Circuit de Catalunya is notorious for highlighting exactly how well-rounded a Formula 1 car is, it’s why pre-season testing was hosted at the track for so many years.
Mercedes appear to be leaning towards Russell over Hamilton with the seven-time world champion leaving at the end of the season.
He had the new front wing in Monaco and Wolff is keen for him to step up as the team leader ahead of 2025.
His job becomes much easier if Mercedes are able to deliver a car that can suddenly challenge the top three teams.
The post ‘Are these numbers real’: George Russell ‘couldn’t believe’ one thing about Mercedes sim numbers – journalist appeared first on F1 Oversteer.