Photo by Steve Wobser/Getty Images
Mercedes gets a huge result in the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix
It was the kind of Sunday that Mercedes had been waiting for.
While no one would be able to catch Max Verstappen on this day in Barcelona, as the Red Bull driver pulled away from the field to win the Spanish Grand Prix, Mercedes secured a double podium in Barcelona, their first of the field. Lewis Hamilton came in second, followed by teammate George Russell, who placed third.
“Mega job, guys. Mega job, thank you so much for everyone back in the factory continuing to push. Mega job to George as well. Awesome drive.” pic.twitter.com/sstG3ME0E9
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) June 4, 2023
Hamilton started the day in fourth, but was able to get past Lando Norris on the first lap. The two drivers came together at the second turn, and Norris would need to pit after running into the back of Hamilton’s Mercedes to fix front wing damage.
That collision opened the door for Lance Stroll to push past Hamilton for third place, leaving the Mercedes driver in P4. But Hamilton slowly worked up through the field, and was into P2 by the midway mark of the race.
As for Russell, while he started back in P12 he quickly charged through the field, and was up to P5 by Lap 11. He moved into third on Lap 20, when Stroll had to come in for fresh tyres.
By Lap 52, the Mercedes duo was running two-three, and while Carlos Sainz Jr. had a window to push Russell for the third spot on the podium, Russell was able to hold on to secure third, his first true podium of the season. (Russell was in third briefly after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after a penalty was handed down to Fernando Alonso, but ultimately the penalty was overturned and Alonso was in P3, with Russel back down to P4).
Following the race, Hamilton admitted that the team did not expect this result.
“We definitely didn’t expect to have the result we had today,” said Hamilton trackside after the race. “So I just really wanted to take my hat off to my team.”
“A big, big thank you to everyone back at the factory for continuing to push and bring us a little bit closer to the Bulls. They’re still a bit ahead, but we’ll keep chasing them down. But this is an amazing result. George did a great job today as well,” he added.
Like Hamilton, Russell credited the entire team with the job they have done the past few weeks, improving the W14.
“Kudos to the team for giving me a really great car today,” he said. “That was a fun race for us, starting from P12 and coming all the way to P3 – a sign of things to come hopefully for us and the team.”
“It definitely feels better,” Russell added when asked about the upgrades to the W14. “You’re just putting in those lap times and you compare them with the guys around you – with the Astons and the Ferraris – and we were just quicker and quicker and quicker.”
“We know we’ve brought some more downforce to the car, we know things were in a better window. So really pleased with having a podium,” concluded Russell.
The win was a mega result for Mercedes in the Constructors’ standings. The Silver Arrows arrived in Barcelona sitting in third place, just one point behind Aston Martin in the table. But with the double podium to show for their efforts, they leave Spain behind having leapfrogged Aston Martin into second.
As for whether they can catch Red Bull at the front of the field, that might still be a bridge too far conceded Hamilton.
“Just one step at a time,” Hamilton admitted. “If we could get close by the end of the year, that would be awesome. But if not, next year.”
