Technical director James Allison stated that Mercedes felt `stung` by their poor points accumulation and reliability problems encountered during Formula 1`s recent triple-header.
Across the last three European races held in Italy, Monaco, and Spain, the Silver Arrows managed to score just 18 points in total. This figure is significantly lower than their main competitors – McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull – and even two points less than the sixth-placed Racing Bulls team.
This underperformance resulted in Mercedes losing their second position in the Constructors` Championship to Ferrari for the first time this season.
Adding to their woes, the team also faced unexpected car unreliability issues.
At Imola, Kimi Antonelli`s race ended early due to a problem with his car`s throttle damper assembly, while a power unit failure sidelined him in Spain. George Russell`s weekend in Monaco was severely hampered when a wiring loom issue during qualifying relegated him to 14th on the grid, a critical blow on that particular track.
Speaking before the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix, Allison mentioned that the team had been in a `somewhat reflective` mood during the short break between races.
“From the perspective of Barcelona, there were positive aspects in how we approached the weekend and the performance of the car in very hot track conditions that give us some optimism for future races,” Allison explained in Mercedes` latest race debrief video.
“However, we are all quite affected by the retirements and the fact that we went through a triple-header where our points scoring rate was nowhere near what it was in the initial races of the year,” he added. “So, looking ahead is positive, but I would definitely not want to repeat those three races like that.”
Reflecting further on the challenging run, Allison drew a comparison to a passage from his favourite childhood book, “The World According to Garp.”
He elaborated: “The protagonist in the book, Garp, purchases his first house specifically because a small plane had crashed into it. He viewed the house as `pre-disastered,` meaning nothing bad would happen to it again in the future.”
“In a similar way, you could perhaps look at this triple-header as us being `pre-disastered` by unexpected retirements on very mature components that we wouldn`t have anticipated failing,” he mused. “So, hopefully, with a bit of luck, we will experience better fortune moving forward.”
More significantly, Allison highlighted the tactical lessons learned: “More seriously, I think the most important thing from these three races is that we set up the car quite wrongly in the first two. We demanded too much from the rear axle and suffered significantly as a direct consequence. We approached Barcelona with a notably different strategy. On a circuit that would normally be very hard on tyres if we had used our Imola and Monaco approach, we managed to perform more like ourselves.”
“Looking ahead and knowing that we can do more of this and apply this approach more effectively in the upcoming races is, I believe, a positive sign,” he stated.
Given their recent form, Allison is optimistic that the visit to Montreal`s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve might come at an opportune moment for the team.
Mercedes has a strong record in Canada. Last year, George Russell achieved pole position and secured a third-place finish in a turbulent, rain-affected race where he was in contention for the win. Over the last 11 Canadian GPs, Mercedes has always managed to qualify at least one car on the front two rows of the grid.
When asked if cooler temperatures predicted for Montreal could benefit them, Allison replied: “Yes, that might potentially work in our favour if it is cooler. However, I believe the distinct nature of the challenge in Montreal is more crucial than the exact temperature.”
He described the track`s characteristics: “It`s a circuit with heavy braking, and it`s relatively more difficult to get the front and rear tyres to their optimal temperatures relative to each other. Historically, it`s a track where we`ve tended to adapt quite well. So, I`m looking forward to it. We are also bringing a couple of new components, and we will see how we perform.”
Antonelli`s Learning Curve Amidst Setbacks
The triple-header proved particularly challenging for the 18-year-old rookie, Kimi Antonelli, who did not manage to score any points during this period.
Although technical failures on his car ended two races prematurely when he was running in potential scoring positions, the Italian`s Monaco weekend was compromised from the start following a crash in the first qualifying session (Q1).
Allison commented on Antonelli`s experience: “Kimi is young and full of youthful optimism, but I am absolutely sure that our car failures during this recent period have taken a toll on Kimi.”
“Having two retirements – one caused by a chassis issue and another by a power unit problem – in the span of just three races is quite a difficult experience to process,” he said. “Putting that aside, Kimi himself will acknowledge that he still has more performance potential to find.”
“However, within this period, there has been a lot of very positive work with him, and he gained invaluable experience,” Allison added. “Driving on a highly dynamic track like Barcelona, with track temperatures reaching almost 50 degrees, and managing soft tyres under those conditions, is rapidly building his experience base. He handled it reasonably well despite the circumstances.”
Marcus Prine