Mercedes reveal George Russell’s costly problem at Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

Rain that was expected to fall during the race did not materialise

George Russell finished fourth at Imola (PA)

Mercedes believe that George Russell would have finished on the podium at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix were it not for a set-up error.

Russell produced an impressive showing to overcome performance issues and hold off former Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas for fourth place.

Rain had been expected to arrive at some point during Sunday’s race after several earlier showers, but never arrived and the race was contested entirely on a drying track.

According to Andrew Shovlin, trackside engineering director at the German team, Russell’s result was “a good effort” but left Mercedes ruing what might have been after missing their chance to correct their balance.

Shovlin explained in the team’s Imola debrief: “Given the difficulties we had in qualifying, given the fact he finished the sprint race where he started, it was certainly a good effort to bring the car home in fourth. We also had that issue with the front wing adjuster which meant he had the wrong balance.

“He was effectively driving a wet car balance in the dry. There was no doubt that was costing him performance. We’re very pleased with the fourth place he was able to achieve. Who knows what he could have done if we had the right car balance in that final stint.”

Toto Wolff, team principal, added: “We missed out on adjusting George’s front flap at the pit stop due to an issue which meant he had a car that was setup for wet for the majority of the race so a great drive from him to hold on the P4 at the end.”

Russell capitalised on an error from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to continue a series of solid performances since arriving permanently at Mercedes at the start of 2022.

The 24-year-old is the only driver on the grid to have recorded a top-five finish at every race so far.

He sits fourth in the Drivers’ Championship standings, 21 points ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton, though is yet to contend for race victory with ‘porpoising’ remaining a persistent issue for Mercedes.

Russell has explained that he had to “manage” significant difficulties with his car to hold on to fourth at Imola.

“We had an issue at the pitstop, we couldn’t get the front wing-flap in the car and it was just massively understeery,” Russell revealed after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. “It was doubly difficult because I was already struggling with a lot of understeer on the intermediate, so I would have wanted to make a big step initially for that, and then another big step for that in terms of slick.

“That front right was just falling to bits, it was so far out of bed with the set-up. So I just had to manage it and be ready at the end to defend.”