George Russell pins hopes on hardest tyres as Mercedes faces heat challenge in Spanish GP

George Russell voiced dissatisfaction with Mercedes' qualifying approach at the Spanish Grand Prix, feeling he could have qualified closer to the front if given a tow from teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who qualified sixth.

At the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Russell matched Red Bull's Max Verstappen with a 1:11.848s lap, but remained three tenths off pole set by Oscar Piastri.

"We know that on a Saturday our car is anywhere between P2 and P5, that's where it's been all season," Russell noted, highlighting the team's consistent mid-top grid performance.

However, the W16 car continues to struggle with thermal management, especially at the rear axle, a weakness carried over from last season. With temperatures forecast around 30 degrees Celsius, Mercedes faces a tough challenge during the race.

"The W16 is not strong when the weather is hot," Russell acknowledged, emphasizing the difficulty ahead.

Despite these challenges, Russell pinned his hopes on the hardest Pirelli tyre compounds (C1-2-3) selected for the race weekend. He believes the hardest tyre will experience less performance drop-off due to overheating compared to softer compounds, offering a potential strategic advantage.

This tyre choice is seen as the "sole silver lining" for Mercedes amid the heat challenge, as the team aims to manage tyre degradation and maintain competitiveness throughout the Spanish GP.

Mercedes' ongoing thermal issues and the high track temperatures set the stage for a demanding race, with Russell hoping tyre strategy can offset the car's limitations.

George Russell expressed frustration with Mercedes' qualifying strategy at the Spanish GP, matching Max Verstappen's time but trailing pole by three tenths. With high track temperatures forecast, Russell hopes the hardest Pirelli tyres will mitigate the W16's known thermal management issues during the race.