Why Ferrari’s F1 Comeback Could Shock Everyone at the Austrian Grand Prix
After leapfrogging Ferrari in Montreal and Barcelona, George Russell forecasts that Mercedes will face a Revival of the Scuderia in “pretty competitive” form at the upcoming Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix.
Mercedes vs Ferrari: A Renewed Rivalry
Russell translated a pole position into third place at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and followed it up by finishing fourth, just behind his teammate Lewis Hamilton, in Catalunya last weekend.
This uptick in Mercedes' form came as Ferrari faced a double-DNF in Canada and saw Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finishing fifth and sixth, trailing the two Mercedes drivers in Spain.
The Red Bull Ring: A New Challenge
Russell is optimistic about Mercedes' performance for the weekend at the Red Bull Ring, which will also feature the third Sprint weekend of 2024. However, he also anticipates a strong comeback from Ferrari.
“I think the Sprint race is coming at a good time for us, and I feel the last three races have been really positive for us,” Russell commented. “Coming here, it’s a very different circuit. Once again, I think Ferrari will probably be pretty competitive.”
“They’ve been very good here for the last couple of years, but yeah, we feel really excited to be back in this mix. We know McLaren and Red Bull are still a little bit ahead of us, but it swings quick, and we saw in Montreal that we were probably the most competitive, so let's see what this weekend brings.”
A Tightening Gap Between The Top Four
Mercedes has recently joined Ferrari as the gap amongst the top four Formula 1 teams continues to narrow. This comes after the Brackley-based squad introduced upgrades to its W15 F1 challenger in recent rounds, following a difficult start to the season that saw it fall behind Red Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari.
Russell reflected on the work the Mercedes team has put into getting itself into a competitive position amid the second leg of a triple-header in Austria.
Consistency in Development
“I think the team has done a great job bringing these developments through earlier than expected, spreading them out rather than one big upgrade at a single race,” he said. “The car has made a big step forward, but we still need a little bit extra if we want to be fighting week in, week out.”
Russell acknowledged the natural fluctuations in car performance but was optimistic about the season. “At the end of the day, we’ve had two races with the whole package. One of which we could have won had we had the fastest car, and in the other, we were the third quickest and on the podium. These are the natural fluctuations of car performance. Let’s see what the next two races bring. But for sure, we’ve made a really good step.”
Stay tuned as both Mercedes and Ferrari aim to shock and awe at the Austrian Grand Prix with new tactics and adrenaline-fueled races. A renewed rivalry promises some of the year's most electrifying races.