Mercedes’ trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin slammed the team’s pace through Zandvoort’s high‑speed corners as “rubbish,” a sharp admission that underlines the inconsistency the side has struggled to explain.
Tracking the On‑Track Puzzle
Shovlin said the issues were most evident in the run of Turns 7, 8, 9, where the car struggled at speed and left‑side tires were taxed. “We weren’t sure what was producing that problem,” he added, noting that the team had made no radical chassis or electronics changes between the sprint and the main race.
Stints Show Divergent Trends
George Russell’s first stint was lackluster compared to later laps, while Kimi Antonelli’s dropped from a good start through the second and third stints, only regaining pace at the final stage. Neither driver reported major setup adjustments, yet both noted different balance characteristics: Russell’s car felt understeered, Antonelli’s oversteered. “We still don’t know why the balance changes so much,” Shovlin said.
Points, Performance, and the Team’s Response
Despite the performance gaps, Belgium’s weekend produced 46 points for Mercedes – only the second‑highest total of the season after the 55-point haul in China, a sprint‑race weekend. “It was a good result in light of where we were,” Schovlin reflected. The team plans to dig into tyre data, track diagnostics, and setup data during the coming week.
Next Steps at the Dutch Circuit
Mercedes will focus on unpacking the left‑sided tyre degradation, the car’s synergetic behavior across turns, and the differing driver reports. The engineering side anticipates gaining clarity before the next race, where precision and consistency will be decisive.
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