Crazy delivery, Mercedes fixes the bug
The week leading up to the Hungarian Grand Prix was an opportunity for Mercedes to conduct a deep internal analysis to understand the origins of the power delivery problem that has afflicted George Russell in recent world championship events.
Engineers found “a hidden element in the power unit code” on which they promptly intervened.
Read more Hamilton and the steward nightmare: four penalties in six GPs. And Mercedes thanks
This bug pushed the algorithm to concentrate the delivery of electrical power in the initial part of the lap, leaving Russell’s car starved of energy in the final part.
The English driver seemed quite relieved, as he said he had “taken a weight off his shoulders” because he had essentially tried everything without results.
Mercedes Revelation: Antonelli also had the bug
During Friday’s press conference at the Hungaroring, Mercedes technical director Simone Resta revealed that even world championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli had suffered from the same problem.
Read more In Budapest, Ferrari’s pole position slips away, but the opportunity is still alive
Add FormulaPassion to your Favorite Sources on Google
“The software is the same for all cars and the bug was present in every car”, Resta explained, leaving no room for doubt. But mysteriously, it affected Russell more: “It affected George more than Kimi. We must also bear in mind that Kimi had a fresher power unit, which is always better than a rather used one.”
And this last aspect will be resolved starting from the Hungarian GP, as Russell will fit a new engine after the water loss in qualifying.
Read more Stella: “Ferrari remains the favorite for the race”