Complicated Friday for Mercedes drivers struggling with tires

The team Mercedes is she preparing to experience another difficult Mexican Grand Prix this Sunday? We are not far from thinking so given the impressions of the Brackley drivers collected on Friday evening. 

Yet author of the best time in EL1 this morning, Lewis Hamilton slips in the rankings in the afternoon to be almost a second behind the reference established by Sebastien Hag in EL2. 

Listening to the Briton debrief his day of adventure, one would almost have the impression that Mercedes has given up on competing with the Team and prepares more to scrap against Red Bull.

« It wasn't an extraordinary day, but that's often the case for us on this track., confided Hamilton. We still learned a lot of things. We did not encounter any major problems in particular. We're just trying to understand how the tires behave. Between short and long relays, it's difficult to identify how to make them work optimally. We are not very far from the Red Bulls but the Ferraris unleash a lot of engine power in a straight line. The difference with us is massive. 

I was happy with how the car behaved in the morning, then we made a few changes to the car between the two sessions and I found myself more difficult with the tires in the afternoon. We couldn't find the right settings and my lap wasn't great either. I still have some under my feet ». 

Once again, the Silver Arrows seem to have difficulty exploiting soft compounds which deteriorate quickly and mediums which are accompanied by pronounced graining on the Mexican track perched at an altitude of 2200 meters.

« I have the impression that we will make 3-4 pit stops during the GP, added Hamilton. The layout is very aggressive on the tires. We ride with maximum downforce but the air density is lower due to the altitude so we slide everywhere. There is an additional DRS zone, hopefully this will make it easier for us to stay in touch ».

Behind during EL1, his teammate Valtteri Bottas claims to have regained color in the afternoon but the Finn, the only one who can still prevent Hamilton from winning a 6th world title this season, is still more than six tenths behind Vettel.

« It wasn't the easiest Friday of the season, blurted Bottas. The track was quite slippery, especially during the first session. I felt a lot better in FP2. The feeling wasn't too bad but we lacked grip. The gap to the top of the rankings is bigger than we expected at this stage of the weekend ». 

So bluff or real concern within the gray fortress? Recent history tilts the balance towards the second option.