Mercedes’ technical director James Allison has offered an update on Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, explaining that the duo ‘bounced back relatively swiftly’ after suffering in the Singapore heat during last weekend’s race.
The two Silver Arrows drivers endured a frustrating race with Russell comparing the temperatures in the cockpit to that of a “sauna”, and Hamilton complaining about an unconventional strategy call that dropped him from third on the grid to sixth at the chequered flag.
Mercedes quickly released a statement reading: “Unfortunately neither George or Lewis will be attending the media pen this evening as they recover from the exertions of this evening’s race.”
Later, in the paddock, team principal Toto Wolff offered more insight. “They did not feel well, borderline heatstroke or something like that, but they have had water,” he explained. “They would not have been able to go to the media pen. There were no bad feelings or any annoyance, it is just that we had the doctors with them. But they are all good.”
Now an update has been provided. Assessing Mercedes’ weekend in Singapore, Allison explained: “Well I think like the rest of us they’re feeling fed up that the car was not particularly competitive in race trim. It was okay in quali but not in race trim.
“We suffered again from a thing that has been problematic for us which is on softer rubber at tracks where tyre temperature is at a premium, where it’s very easy to overheat, we lose relative competitiveness and Singapore is at the extreme end of that experience and it was quite a difficult thing for them to manage.
“And to add insult to injury, 30 degrees air temperature, 70 per cent relative humidity, it was very, very, very hot in the car and at the end of the race both of them were feeling that.
“They feel a lot better now from the heat part of it, you know. Cold ice bath and a few drinks and they bounce back relatively swiftly but the more significant thing which is caring about the pace of the car, that hurt lingers a little longer.”
Some weren’t as sympathetic about the duo’s struggles. Race winner Lando Norris said on a gaming live stream: “Toto Wolff issues health update on Hamilton and Russell? F***ing hell, it’s tough for everyone! Why do they think that they’ve… Everyone’s got heatstroke if they’ve got heatstroke.”
