George Russell and Lewis Hamilton have both aired their frustrations about the Mercedes car (Image: Formula 1 via Getty Images)
George Russell echoed complaints about the car despite a recent warning that he is not in the position to do so. The 26-year-old has endured a barren period after the summer break, as has his more esteemed team-mate, who recently
Russell has now followed suit, stating that the car is as unpredictable as it has been since he joined the team in 2022. However, his comments come after , who suggested that Russell’s position is not as secure as Hamilton’s.
Steiner referenced , stating it has given him the freedom to speak his mind without fear of repercussions. Despite the former Haas’ boss’ warning, Russell chose to vent his anger publicly.
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Russell said: “I think in 2022, in the sort of porpoising era, without doubt that was far more unpleasant. But because of the nature of those cars, it was far harder to get close to the limit because you were literally jumping around every single corner, and you knew that it was going to bite you.
“The problem we’ve got with this car at the moment is you think it’s not going to bite you, and you can achieve a really great lap. Then, suddenly nothing changes, or you feel nothing changes, and the following lap you lose all of that performance. Without a doubt this is probably the most inconsistent our performance has been as a team in probably forever.”
Before the summer break, had an impressive streak, clinching three wins out of four races. Their recent form has seen a stark decline, with only one podium finish in the last seven races.
Steiner acknowledged the sentiments of Hamilton and Russell regarding the car’s lacklustre performance, admitting it lags behind competitors. Yet, with still contemplating a future without Hamilton, the ex-Haas chief suggested that Russell might be better off keeping his criticisms under wraps.
Lewis Hamilton will be joining Ferrari at the end of the year (Image: Photo by Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images)
On the Red Flag podcast, Steiner said: “The car is what it is. It’s not the best car, it’s the fourth best car at the moment on a good day. I think Lewis knowing that he’s leaving anyway, it’s easier to complain.
“George has got all the interest to do to whatever is there to show that he’s the leader of the team for the future. He has to prove that, because he knows that when his contract is up, his seat is not 100 per-cent safe so he just tries to do his best, puts everything into it. And on the other side, Lewis doesn’t like the car and how it drives, knows that now in three races he’s not there anymore.”
Despite swirling rumours, Russell remains unfazed about what’s ahead. Facing the press, he recently said: “It’s something we’ve not spoken about at all to be honest. I’ve been with this team for so so long, I’m managed by , and we’ve always said we will be continuing together for the indefinite future.
“There’s a lot of conversations going on which are quite entertaining to read, but from my side, I’m not focused on any of that. I’m just focused on my driving.”