Mercedes began this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix on the again foot after a tough first day on the F1 monitor in free observe on Friday.
George Russell ended up being Mercedes’ quickest driver, however solely completed fifth, simply 0.933 seconds off the tempo set by Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.
It was an excellent more durable afternoon for teammate and championship chief Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who completed thirteenth, two seconds off the tempo.
Antonelli missed opening observe to ensure that Fred Vesti to finish the newest rookie run required by Mercedes, however was unable to finish his qualifying simulation laps on smooth tires after having to abort a number of efforts.
Russell fears Ferrari might grow to be untouchable in Hungary
The Italian teenager complained a few locked rear brake all through the session and continued to chase a greater set-up all through Friday’s simply an hour of observe.
“I feel it has been a really unusual day for everybody,” Russell admitted after FP2.
“Budapest is a good monitor to drive, however half the monitor has been resurfaced. It’s extremely bumpy and loads of it has damaged down round the previous few corners, making it very unusual to drive.”
“Our single laps weren’t good and the lengthy runs regarded extra aggressive. But it surely seems to be like our latent fears about Ferrari have been true. They regarded very, very sturdy.”
Russell insisted Mercedes had loads of work to do to have an opportunity of combating for pole place in Saturday’s qualifying.
“This weekend goes to be a totally totally different weekend,” he mentioned. “These energy items are very spectacular on this quick monitor, producing 350kW from each nook and bursting by way of the rear tires.
“We’ve got work to do as a crew. Ferrari are taking higher steps than anybody else proper now.
“For you and me, to be sincere, the automobile is way from nice and I feel there’s room for enchancment. It was actually windy right this moment and I feel the wind path goes to alter, so it might change so much.”
Mercedes deputy crew principal Bradley Lord mentioned each drivers struggled with a scarcity of grip and stability all through Friday’s observe.
“I did not have sufficient grip and I wasn’t balanced on one lap,” Lord mentioned. “Each drivers initially needed to wind up their entrance ends to search out the light understeer stability we would like right here.
“But it surely’s very inconsistent and fairly tough. Even the brand new tarmac is difficult, so it is undoubtedly right down to us not with the ability to get the tires fairly in the precise window for that one lap.”
“However within the lengthy runs after that we regarded fairly constant and fairly aggressive in opposition to Ferrari, Verstappen and McLaren. So that means the automobile is in a half-decent window, however we have to get issues proper in a single lap.”
Antonelli struggled with the rear of the Mercedes
Mercedes have loved pole place in every of the earlier 10 races throughout a largely dominant 2026 season, however the crew has admitted that efforts to take care of its unbeaten qualifying report could also be halted.
“We’ve got a aggressive automobile at each monitor, and to date we have been fortunate to get pole place at each monitor,” Lord mentioned.
“I feel at some point that state of affairs will finish, however we’ll do every thing we will to stop it from occurring right here in Hungary.
“There’s so much to do in a single day and it’s a little bit of a headache, however I hope we will put in a fairly good efficiency for FP3.”
Much more encouraging for the Silver Arrows, Mercedes is assured it has resolved the straight-line pace distinction that plagued Russell in latest occasions at Silverstone and Spa.
“Till we will do one aggressive lap and examine the 2 automobiles, which we weren’t capable of do right this moment, we can’t have a closing definitive reply,” Lord added.
“However sure, we discovered it, we eradicated it, and we’re completely assured that it now not impedes or impedes George’s final efficiency potential.”
