Why Hamilton and Russell didn't have the same rear wing setting in Canada

Usually, teams tend to set up, at least broadly speaking, their two cars in the same way at Grands Prix. Or in any case with regard to the fundamental adjustments, such as the aerodynamic downforce generated by the rear wing. On the side of Mercedes, in Canada, we nevertheless opted for two different configurations, in agreement with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton themselves. “To explain it, we have to go back to FP3, which took place in the rain, explains Mike Elliott, technical director at Mercedes. Both drivers decided to put more wing on the car than was optimal in the dry, and the logic behind this was simply to get a feel for the car with a little more grip, put the car in a situation where this extra grip was going to help avoid track exits because it was very, very difficult to then change the car in the event of damage in FP3 or in qualifying.” 

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in Canada. © DPPI © Florent Gooden / DPPI

And Elliott continued. “Fortunately, we have two brilliant drivers who have been able to keep the car on the track all year round, who have taken care of their car all year round. So going into qualifying, Lewis chose to revert to a rear wing which is more optimal for a dry race, with less downforce. Meanwhile, George felt after FP3 that he was happier with the car, and that he could take his rear wing level from FP3 into qualifying, also held in the wet, so that it would allow him to gain a few positions on the grid, taking the risk that it will be more difficult for him to overtake in the race or to defend himself. It’s a decision that the racing engineers took in consultation with the drivers.”

Despite his desire to have more downforce in qualifying to gain a few places in the wet, Russell finished behind Hamilton on Saturday, not helped by the fact that the track had dried considerably and benefited the drivers taking the least support. But the two men, as often this season, finally finished one in front of the other (3rd and 4th), with Lewis ahead of George, for the first time since the Bahrain Grand Prix this year! 

ALSO READ > Mercedes star gains glimmer of hope