Russell details how ‘car was transformed for the worse’

Mercedes driver George Russell faced a challenging Qualifying session at the Japanese Grand Prix, struggling with a mysterious issue after a minor rear suspension adjustment. Despite showing strong pace in Friday practice, Russell finished second, nearly three-tenths behind his teammate Kimi Antonelli. Russell explained that the adjustment caused strange vibrations and severe balance issues, forcing him to compromise his setup by adjusting the front wing, which introduced understeer. Expressing frustration over recurring issues compared to his performance in China, Russell emphasized the need to identify the root cause before race day at Suzuka, where he will start alongside Antonelli and ahead of Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc.