George Russell voiced serious worries after Mercedes endured a tough day at the Belgian Grand Prix, marking a clear drop in pace from their recent strong showings.
In Friday’s practice sessions at Spa-Francorchamps, the team lagged behind, with Russell ending up ninth in the second session and new teammate Kimi Antonelli not faring much better in 12th. This comes as a stark contrast to their form earlier in the 2025 season, where upgrades had pushed them into consistent podium contention.
Russell didn’t hold back, saying the car felt off-balance and lacked the grip they’d built up. “It’s like we’ve gone backwards overnight,” he told reporters. “We need to dig deep into the data tonight because this isn’t where we should be.”
Team boss Toto Wolff echoed the frustration, admitting the setup changes for the high-speed Ardennes track might have backfired. With Red Bull and Ferrari looking sharp—Max Verstappen topping the timesheets and Charles Leclerc close behind—Mercedes faces an uphill battle to salvage qualifying.
Antonelli, in his rookie year, stayed optimistic but acknowledged the learning curve. “It’s tricky here with the weather threats, but we’re working flat out to turn it around.”
As rain looms for Saturday, the Silver Arrows hope overnight tweaks can restore their edge before the fight for pole.
