The start of the season didn’t turn out to be a perfect one for Mercedes. The German team started off their 2022 qualification on backfoot. Having been outpaced by Ferrari and Red Bull, Toto Wolff thinks they’re the third-fastest team now.
Gave it all we had there out night.
You know we'll keep pushing to be in that fight out front. pic.twitter.com/6YjZRiCqBd
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) March 19, 2022
Mercedes didn’t quite have the flying start to their new season. Team drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell had a disappointing outing in the Bahrain International Circuit on Saturday’s qualification. This has been by far one of the days to forget for the Silver Arrows.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff seemed very disappointed and dejected on such results. However, he understands the difficulties the drivers faced on the way of qualification. Wolff conveyed to Sky Sports, “We need to be realistic of our performance right now and we’re currently the 3rd quickest team.”
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How did Saturday’s qualification fair on Mercedes?
The seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton ended his Q3 in P5. The 2020 F1 champion has clocked 1:31.238 on the timesheet. About 0.680 seconds behind Pole sitter Charles Leclerc. New recruit George Russell put in the other disappointing qualification for the German team.
The @MercedesAMGF1 guys gave it everything they could to end qualifying as high as possible ahead of tomorrow's race
There is some pace to find, but points are handed out on Sunday
Lewis and George will be ready to go on the attack
#BahrainGP #OutRaceYourself #F1 pic.twitter.com/IEoATGAZB7
— PETRONAS Motorsports (@PET_Motorsports) March 19, 2022
Qualified in P9, Russell pulled up 1:32.216 in his debut full season for Mercedes. Interestingly, the former Silver Arrows driver Valtteri Bottas ended his qualification in a better position than Russell. The Alfa Romeo pilot has finished in P6 just behind Hamilton.
Interestingly, Lewis Hamilton has already talked about Mercedes’s disadvantages just after the pre-season testing last week. Hamilton conveyed that they’re behind McLaren in terms of performance. Statistics showed that Mercedes have been overshadowed by the Ferraris and Red Bulls.
Great to see so much support for the team on the timeline tonight.
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) March 19, 2022
The eight-times constructor’s champions have been in the news since the first day of pre-season testing. The practically non-existent side-pods made headlines in F1 for some time now. Moreover, the Silver Arrows have been suffering from porpoising effect since its inception. This effect made them lose straight-line speed as well.
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Two Mercedes starting in P5 and P9 is quite an unusual scene for the Silver Arrows fans. Whereas the Ferraris start in P1 and P3. And Red Bull their arch-rivals? They start in P2 and P4. So will we witness a three-headed Constructor’s battle this season? Only time will tell.
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