It’s not that what they are looking for from the car is all that different. But what it lacks effects them differently according to the demands of the circuit.
“There are definitely small differences in driving style,” allows Russell, “but the underlying limitations that we have with the car are exactly the same. What we’re chasing is the same but F1 is so complex with these tyres that it doesn’t take a lot to change in your driving style how you approach a corner to have a substantial impact good or bad on the tyres. Those small driving style differences favour me at some places and favour Lewis at others. I’m trying to learn from him. I’m sure he’s trying to learn from me.”
If Mercedes can next year provide them with a car without any obvious shortfall, which combines high-speed and slow corner performance, which allows them each to express themselves fully rather than adapting to the car’s vices, it will be fascinating to see how this pattern between them evolves.
“What has caught us out with this car stems from the winter development,” explains Russell. “We took a wrong direction, made some mistakes and that was evident as soon as we hit the track in Bahrain. I’m confident we’re not going to make those mistakes over this winter, but of course F1 is a relative game and we don’t know what our rivals are doing.”
Similarly, twice bitten Hamilton is a little shy of optimism. “After the last couple of races, I got messages from people like ‘oh, it’s looking good’. I’m like, ‘It was looking good at the end of last year, too’. But we started 1.5 seconds behind at the start of the year. So I’m not dazzled by where we are currently. The only reason I’ve been on the podium recently is the great work that’s gone on in the background, but I’m more thinking long-term at the moment.”