This is proving to be a “rough” triple-header for Mercedes following a spate of accidents.
Toto Wolff has revealed the mood inside Mercedes is “up and down” and that the current triple-header is proving to be rough” on the team as it fights on track and battles to repair its cars off it.
In the space of seven days, George Russell has twice crashed heavily, initially in qualifying for the United States Grand Prix, and again in second practice for the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Sandwiched in between was Lewis Hamilton’s surprise early spin out of the race in Austin which has previously proven to be such a happy hunting ground for him.
Given all three incidents have come in the opening few days of an exhausting triple-header, it has placed pressure on the team members, in particular, those travelling.
“The worst part is for the men and women in the garage,” said Wolff, in explaining the intensity of the back-to-back-to-back races when things are going wrong to Sky Sports F1.
“Three in a row, two big shunts last weekend, a massive one yesterday, and the chassis needs to be repaired for Brazil. It’s rough.”
Mercedes broke curfew overnight, using the second of its two ‘jokers’ for the season to change the chassis on Russell’s car after his heavy 35g impact side on into a Tecpro barrier.
Assessing the mood in the camp, Wolff said: “We’ve had a few big shunts over the last few races, but the mechanics have done an incredible job overnight. The chassis was damaged. We can repair it but it’s not going to run here [in Mexico City].
“The mood is up and down. We’re quickest in some of the sessions, and then suddenly you’re half a second down, like now, so it’s difficult to read.”
