Overview

• George Russell capitalized on cooler conditions to claim fourth place, finishing just 0.03 seconds off the front row in qualifying.
• Mercedes endured a difficult Friday practice with P5 in FP1 and P8 in FP2 as track temperatures climbed to 40°C.
• The W16’s persistent thermal sensitivity continues to cause unpredictable front-to-rear tyre degradation and hamper race pace.
• Russell warned that Mercedes cannot rely on favourable weather while Ferrari closes the performance gap in summer heat.
• Team engineers have yet to identify a definitive fix for the car’s overheating issues as the season moves deeper into hot conditions.