2023-09-03 17:08:00
The Mercedes team in the Italian Grand Prix was third fastest behind Red Bull Racing and Ferrari, and following the race, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton admitted that 5th and 6th place was the most that might be expected.
Lewis Hamilton (6th): “In the course of today’s race, it was incredibly difficult to win back positions, we had to really fight for each. It’s good that we started on hard tires – the decision to use tactics that are not the same as the others was the right one, although at first it was difficult.
It was also difficult to keep close behind the opponents while on the DRS train. On the first stint I did a lot of laps chasing the McLarens so I knew I might keep a pace faster than them and hoped I might get ahead of them on the second stint.
After the pit stop, I had to make up a significant gap, and I was worried that the tires might be worn out by the time I caught up with my rivals, but, fortunately, their tires were in the same condition.
Immediately following the pit stop, I was ahead of Alonso, found myself on a free track, and this allowed us to overtake McLaren. But the Piastri incident was simply due to an unfortunate set of circumstances. I misjudged the distance between our cars, and it’s entirely my fault – immediately following the race, I went to Oscar and apologized.
In general, I think that today we have achieved the maximum possible results, and now I will prepare for the stage in Singapore.”
George Russell (5th): “Apparently, 5th place is the maximum that might be achieved, and I think that if we were offered this before the start of the weekend, we would agree.
On this track we were faster than McLaren and Aston Martin, but, unfortunately, Ferrari is one step ahead of us, and Red Bull is simply out of reach. In high-speed corners, they were so fast that I might not hold back the onslaught of Perez for a long time.
The race was also difficult due to the high degradation of tires, but since a lot of time is lost in the pit stop at this track, this meant that the tactic of two stops in the pits did not work. But at the same time, I had to travel for a long time in the “DRS-train” and it was not easy to overtake, since the cars were approximately equal in speed.
Now I’m looking forward to Singapore, where we were competitive last year, and I think the city circuit might be a better fit for our car. I hope we can get closer to the leaders there than in Monza.”
Toto Wolff, team leader: “Our race was eventful, but we managed to earn as many points as possible. However, as always, you should not be too happy regarding the 5th and 6th results.
I think the penalties received by our riders were fair, but, fortunately, both did a great job and made sure that this did not affect our positions at the finish line. Lewis and George persevered and continued to attack.
We know that tracks that require low downforce settings are not very good for us, although I think that during the season we have made progress in this area.
The next race will be in Singapore, and there you need a high level of pressure, which suits us better. But when we have the opportunity to compete for a good result, it is important not to miss it.”
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