F1
Mercedes drivers ready for a “hell second half of the season”
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The suspense is back Formula 1. After two years of (almost) undivided domination of Red Bull et Max Verstappen, the three-time world champion is now jostled by three other teams: Mercedes, Ferrari et McLaren. At mid-season, seven drivers have already won a Grand Prix in 2024, which has not happened since 2012!
Obviously, the increasingly fierce competition makes the end of the season much more uncertain, but above all much more exciting. Something to rejoice the Mercedes drivers, in particular. The Silver Arrows are having a fantastic summer with three victories in the last four Grands Prix (Austria, Great Britain, Belgium), while they only had one success in total over the 2022 and 2023 seasons. The German team confirms its return to the forefront and can now fight for victory against the other Top Teams.
Hamilton and Russell already hot
“It’s really fantastic for the sport to have teams and drivers so close to each other, highlighted Lewis Hamilton, double Grand Prix winner in 2024. Four teams and seven different drivers have won a Grand Prix since the start of the season. We didn't expect to compete with the McLarens or the Red Bulls at this stage of the season, given the way we started. It's going to be a hell of a second half of the season, that's for sure! »
“If we can continue this kind of performance like we did in the last races, which were fantastic, he adds. I think if we can start our weekends a little better, we could continue [to be at the forefront]. The McLaren was very strong [in Belgium], we were just a little bit further ahead at the start [of the race], but yeah, we just have to keep pushing. »
For George Russell, the end of the 2024 season could promise an incredible campaign in 2025, if the best teams remain so close. “We struggled to get the car in a condition to fight for victories, but I am very motivated and very excited for the second half of the season, as a launch for 2025. If the season had started in Montreal, the championship would have been very, very different. It's going to be great. I think there is such motivation from all the other teams to get back to the front, from McLaren, from Ferrari, from ourselves, so for sure, it's not going to be easy, and I hope we have a great fight until next year. »
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Dorian Grangier
A young journalist nostalgic for the motorsport of yesteryear. Raised on the exploits of Sébastien Loeb and Fernando Alonso.
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Yves-Henri RANDIER
14/08/2024 at 02:44 a.m.
Can't wait for Zandvoort for a 4-way match... hoping that this will also be the case in 2025 with Fernand's Aston-Martin perhaps also in the match (unlike the only CDI on the field)!