Mercedes faced a strategic dilemma at the Japanese Grand Prix when they responded to George Russell’s request for DRS (Drag Reduction System) assistance to fend off Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. The team asked Lewis Hamilton to slow down, aiming to provide Russell with DRS to aid his defense against Sainz’s Ferrari in the closing laps of the race. However, this decision did not sit well with Hamilton, who believed it was “not a good idea at all” to give Russell the DRS advantage. The seven-time World Champion expressed that the situation made the final phase of the race “very hard” for him.
“It made it very hard for me the last couple of laps. I didn’t think that was a good idea at all. When they suggested it to me, I knew they’d thought of it from the last race. It made no sense; I needed to get as far ahead as possible, and I was two seconds ahead, and they asked me to come off the gas to give George DRS down the straight. Then he got DRS, but then he got overtaken by [Sainz], which was gonna happen because he was on a one-stop. And then [Sainz] was right on my tail. Not ideal. It made it very hard for me the last couple of laps, but a fifth and seventh is better than a sixth and seventh,” Hamilton shared, as reported by BBC.
The Japanese Grand Prix witnessed intense rivalry between Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton and George Russell during this season. The early stages of the race featured a thrilling battle between the two drivers, with Russell briefly overtaking Hamilton at the last corner before Hamilton regained his position at Turn One. Later in the race, both drivers went off track as Russell attempted to overtake Hamilton at the Spoon Curve.
During the race, Russell posed a question on the team radio: “Who do we want to fight here? Each other or the others?” In response, Hamilton suggested they discuss the matter offline, emphasizing their goal to surpass the Ferraris and achieve success in the constructors’ championship.
Ultimately, Lewis Hamilton finished fifth, while George Russell secured seventh place at the Japanese Grand Prix. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen claimed the top spot at the Suzuka Circuit. Mercedes is currently engaged in a battle for the second position in the Constructors’ standings with Ferrari, with Red Bull leading comfortably in the Constructors’ points table.