Improving starts a “very high priority” for Mercedes as drivers lose 21 places in four races – RaceFans

April 1, 2026

in Racing

Reading Time: 2 mins read

Mercedes have made bettering their begins a high precedence after each their drivers misplaced a minimum of one place on the primary lap of each race up to now.

The crew locked out the entrance row of the grid for all 4 races this yr, together with the dash race in China. However George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli have failed to carry on to that benefit, shedding a complete of 21 positions.

“We all know it’s most likely one of many – if not, the – weakest efficiency traits of our automotive in the intervening time,” Mercedes’ deputy technical director Simone Resta acknowledged in a video launched by the crew. “We’re working with a really excessive precedence on this subject to attempt to enhance it for the subsequent races.”

The automobiles’ efficiency at the beginning of races is intently tied to the traits of its energy unit. Ferrari have develop into famend for making robust begins.

Nonetheless McLaren, which additionally makes use of Mercedes energy models, have tended to get off the road higher than the works crew, some extent Resta acknowledged.

“We all know, for instance, trying on the McLaren begin in Suzuka, that our energy unit can begin properly,” he mentioned. “We’ll strive our greatest to enhance our efficiency on this space for Miami, and attempt to be sure that we will defend in the easiest way any place that we’ll have the ability to acquire in qualifying.”

Championship chief Antonelli’s begins have been constantly weaker than these of his crew mate. On Sunday he misplaced locations to Russell in addition to each McLaren and Ferrari drivers.

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Antonelli additionally recognized standing begins as a key weak point of the W17.

“Our automotive is superb [but] for certain with the begins [we could improve],” he mentioned after Sunday’s race. “However I feel in the present day was fully my fault.

“Collectively, me and George, we’ve been struggling a bit greater than what we might have anticipated for the reason that begin of the season. At present the McLarens obtained a very good begin, so that they’re clearly doing one thing higher, for certain additionally on driver enter. On this case Oscar [Piastri] did significantly better than me as a result of – I can’t say, however I ‘effed’ it up fairly badly. However I simply have to hold engaged on that space.”