Mercedes says it is conducting a review into its communication procedure following the strange collision between its drivers during qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix.
During the Q2 session from the Circuit de Bareclona-Catalunya, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton came together as they both started a fast lap.
The duo past Carlos Sainz as they did so, with the Ferrari driver concluding his own hot lap.
Hamilton’s front wing was damaged but he managed to advance into the next stage, while Russell failed to advance into Q3.
Explaining the situation, Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ Trackside Engineering Director, said that both drivers were seeking a slipstream from Sainz.
“Put simply, the drivers were trying to find a car finishing a lap to get a slingshot starting the lap themselves,” he said.
“That would give them more straight-line speed and you can find around a tenth, maybe a little bit more, on the straight.
“That car that was finishing their lap then peels in and they can then conduct the rest of their lap in clear air.
“The issue again put very simply was that George and Lewis both tried to pick up Sainz as that slingshot. Lewis got on to the back of him around Turn 10.
“As he then came around to start the lap, George was waiting because he knew that Sainz was coming, not realising that Lewis was just behind.
“Now, at the track in Barcelona, we were very keen to make sure we focused on the race itself, not to worry about what went wrong in qualifying.
“Now that we are back here at the factory though, we will sit down and look at how we need to change our communication to make sure that we don’t confuse the drivers by not giving them the whole picture.”
Mercedes enjoyed a more positive race as it took its first double podium of the 2023 campaign.
It also managed to jump into second place in the standings for the first time this year, advancing ahead of Aston Martin.
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