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George Russell admitted he âoverestimatedâ the grip available at Spa-Francorchamps during FP1, leaving Mercedes to recover from an uncompetitive starting setup on Friday at the Belgian Grand Prix.
The Briton arrived in Belgium aiming to reduce team-mate Kimi Antonelliâs 25-point championship advantage. However, the balance of performance between the two Mercedes drivers favoured Antonelli on the opening day: the Italian topped FP2, while Russell ended the session in eighth. The result underlined the cost of Mercedesâ early setup misjudgement, even if the gap may not yet tell the full story of the weekend.
For more on Mercedesâ Friday running, read our report on Antonelli urging Mercedes to keep working despite Spa FP2 pace.
Russell said Mercedes had been forced to learn from a difficult first session after the teamâs initial assumptions about grip levels proved inaccurate.
âWe haven't had the smoothest Friday here in Spa,â Russell said. âWe overestimated the grip levels in FP1 and that meant our starting set-up wasn't in the right place. We struggled with a difficult car balance and, whilst we were able to complete some learning, it wasn't the ideal way to start our weekend.â
The two-time winner this season, after victories in Australia and Austria, also recognised the importance of avoiding lost opportunities as he tries to sustain his title challenge against Antonelli through the second half of the campaign. Fridayâs deficit therefore leaves Russell with ground to recover, particularly over a single lap, before qualifying.
Mercedes made changes ahead of FP2, and Russell reported that the car improved as a result. While he acknowledged that more performance remained available, he was more positive about the teamâs race-running pace.
âWe therefore worked hard ahead of FP2 and made some changes which improved things,â he added. âThere is still more lap time we can find, particularly on the single lap, and we will look to do that overnight. Our long run was more competitive and that gives us encouragement heading into Saturday and Sunday.â
That distinction will be central to Russellâs weekend. His one-lap performance requires refinement, but the stronger long-run showing gives Mercedes a more encouraging foundation for the later stages of the Belgian Grand Prix. The immediate task is clear: convert Fridayâs recovery into qualifying pace without sacrificing the race performance Russell believes is already more competitive.
Heâs a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.