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Mercedes has acknowledged that it acted too slowly during the Mexican Grand Prix when managing the on-track battle between George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The team’s hesitation on the pit wall may have cost the Silver Arrows a stronger result.
Russell’s Frustration Over Team Orders
During the race at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Russell made his feelings clear over the radio. The Brit felt he was faster than his young teammate Antonelli and pushed the team to let him through. “We can fight for the podium if I get by,” he said around lap 35. However, the pit wall was cautious, responding that both drivers were free to race.
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By the time Mercedes finally issued the order to swap positions, six laps later on lap 41, the moment had passed. Russell could no longer close the gap to the cars ahead, and the Mercedes pair even switched back again later in the race without improving their final positions.
Mercedes Explains the Situation
According to communications director Bradley Lord, the situation on the pit wall was complex. “Kimi was driving to a plan, managing his tyres on a one-stop strategy. He was doing exactly what was asked of him,” Lord explained in a team debrief video. “George, on
the other hand, was stuck in dirty air, which caused his tyres to degrade faster. He felt he had the pace to attack.”
“We Should Have Decided Sooner”
Mercedes ultimately allowed the swap but admits it came too late. “Whether we had chosen to let them stay as they were or to switch earlier, the fact that we waited so long didn’t help us,” Lord admitted. “Overtaking in Mexico is already difficult because of the low downforce and turbulent air, and our delay only made things worse.”
The Brit drew a clear lesson from the episode. “We needed to make a decision faster. Whether we had let them fight or swapped immediately, that hesitation cost us time, and ultimately, performance.”
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