Following the introduction of a promising upgrade upon its return, Mercedes faced a disastrous Saturday in Austin, Texas with Lewis Hamilton qualifying in 19th and George Russell crashing out of qualifying.
Lewis Hamilton gave George Russell a chance to use his car parts in order to access the full upgrade for Mercedes at the United States Grand Prix.
Mercedes experienced a challenging day at the Circuit of the Americas, with Hamilton’s performance initially resulting in a 19th-place qualification. He will start 18th on the grid due to Liam Lawson receiving an engine-related grid penalty. Meanwhile, Russell’s qualification ended prematurely when he crashed during the final round. The 26-year-old had recorded the sixth-fastest time but lost control at 125 mph, colliding with a barrier.
Russell’s incident prevented Red Bull driver Max Verstappen from contending for pole position, as his fast lap was disrupted, allowing McLaren’s Lando Norris to secure the top spot. Earlier in the day, during the Sprint, Russell began in second place but fell to fifth, while Hamilton managed only a sixth-place finish, both struggling with pace and tire degradation, as Verstappen claimed victory.
After Russell’s crash, he doesn’t have the required parts to put in the upgrades Mercedes used this weekend. The team introduced a significant aerodynamic improvement, such as a redesigned front wing that received positive feedback.
Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, extended an offer to help resolve Russell’s problem. The younger teammate rejected the offer nevertheless.
Lewis has generously offered me his upgraded parts, but we won’t be taking that route, Russell shared. “It’s truly unfortunate; everyone back at the base deserves better. We’re all pushing our limits to get the car on the front row and aim for significant results, which we accomplished yesterday. Today, however, it’s a different story.”
Hamilton has expressed his desire for modifications to his car before the race and is willing to start from the pitlane to facilitate this. The Formula 1 icon subtly urged his team to consider breaking parc ferme regulations to make adjustments that would enhance his vehicle.
Hamilton stated that during the Sprint race, there was a problem with the front suspension on the formation lap, which persisted throughout the race. That caused the balance to become very challenging.
“We made a few adjustments to steer us towards what we planned to do yesterday, but the car performed terribly during today’s qualifying session.” It would be wise for me to begin in the pit lane; otherwise, I won’t be able to move. It was simply an uneven equilibrium and lacked traction.
Norris and Verstappen will compete from the front row in Austin on Sunday as they continue their pursuit of the drivers’ championship. Following them, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc secured the next two positions, while Oscar Piastri will start the race in fifth, ahead of Russell.
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