Mercedes hit by hydraulics problem as Verstappen impresses

24.02.2023 - 21:51 channelnewsasia.com

MANAMA : An hydraulics problem brought an early end to the second day of Formula One testing for Mercedes on Friday while Red Bull's double world champion Max Verstappen again looked the man to beat in Bahrain.Verstappen was not top of the timesheets but Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu, who led the second session with the fastest lap yet, was on the much softer C5 tyres compared to the Dutch driver's C3s."Today we focused on the smaller details and took little steps," said Verstappen, who hands over to Mexican Sergio Perez for Saturday's final day."Again, the car was responding well to everything we did...

I’m very pleased with the testing period, every time I jumped in the car I felt comfortable and could push instantly."We’ll have to see how quick we will be next week but I’m feeling positive."George Russell brought out red flags when he stopped on track, his Mercedes stuck in fourth gear, with some 90 minutes remaining.The car was recovered and did not go back out.Russell had already told reporters that the team were struggling a little with the car's balance and said it would be a bit of a stretch to expect Mercedes to be challenging for victory in next weekend's opener.The Briton ended the day 13th of 17 drivers on track with seven times world champion team mate Lewis Hamilton, who went out in the morning, 15th.Mercedes boss Toto Wolff told Sky Sports television, however, that the former champions were 'hiding' their true pace.Verstappen set his time of one minute 31.650 seconds in the afternoon, before Zhou went 0.040 quicker in cooler evening conditions.Spain's double world champion Fernando Alonso was third fastest for Aston Martin, with that team looking seriously quick with a car designed under former Red Bull

Sporting cycling as Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Aston Martin Toto Wolff George Russell Sergio Perez Fernando Alonso Zhou Guanyu Netherlands Spain Mexico Bahrain Manama

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton said that his team “didn’t listen” to him regarding the design of the 2023 season car. Hamilton, who has seven world championships to his name, finished fifth in the season-opening Grand Prix in Bahrain, suggesting that the major problems suffered by the German team last year have yet to be resolved, and Hamilton appeared to suggest his team had failed to heed his advice. Ad «Last year, there were things I told them.

Hamilton bemoans Mercedes' lack of speed as Wolff declares Bahrain 'one of our worst days'

Team boss Toto Wolff declared Mercedes had "one of their worst days" in racing on Sunday after Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished fifth and seventh at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

'One of our worst days': Mercedes boss dejected as Hamilton bemoans lack of speed

Team boss Toto Wolff declared Mercedes had "one of their worst days" in racing on Sunday after Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished fifth and seventh at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff disconsolate after grim day for Mercedes in Bahrain - 'One of our worst days'

Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff cut disconsolate figures after a grim day for Mercedes at the Bahrain GP that showcased their lack of competitiveness on the F1 grid. After a difficult 2022 in which Mercedes struggled badly with a bouncing car, hopes had been high for something of a rebirth as the teams assembled in the Gulf. Ad But the early noises were not all that promising, and those fears seemed well-founded on race day as Hamilton finished fifth, while team-mate George Russell trailed in seventh, some distance behind race winner, Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who looks set to dominate the sport again in 2023.