Russell: Ferrari hype justified – ‘clearly the team to beat’

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George Russell says that Ferrari’s strong pace on Friday’s opening day of running at the Monaco Grand Prix effectively confirmed what many had already begun to suspect: the Italian outfit will be the team to beat this weekend in the Principality.

After a day in which Ferrari topped the timesheets, with Charles Leclerc leading Lewis Hamilton in FP1 and the Briton edging his teammate in the afternoon, Russell painted a picture of a team operating with a natural advantage around the Principality’s tight, technical layout.

Mercedes had gone into the weekend among those pointing toward Ferrari as the reference point, but Russell admitted the on-track evidence has already made that argument difficult to dispute.

Ferrari justify pre-weekend hype in Monaco

Ferrari’s combination of strong low-speed stability and power delivery characteristics had marked them out as contenders before a wheel had turned in Monaco, and Friday’s sessions did little to weaken that view.

Russell, who ended FP2 in fourth place and just ahead of championship-leading team-mate Kimi Antonelli, made no attempt to downplay where Mercedes stands relative to its rivals.

"We expected Ferrari to be the guys to beat. A lot of people thought it was just chat, but clearly they are the team to beat," Russell said.

"I think Red Bull have also been a bit of a surprise for us. We knew out of the races so far this was going to be our most challenging. It's probably been slightly more challenging than we would have hoped, but we did make some good improvements from FP1 into FP2.

"We need to make the same step again overnight and I don't think we nailed it today. There is room to improve, but definitely Ferrari are the team."

His assessment left little ambiguity: Mercedes can see the deficit, but not yet the solution.

Overnight work needed at Mercedes

Beyond pure lap time, Russell pointed to the deeper technical traits that appear to be giving Ferrari an edge in Monaco’s stop-start rhythm.

The tight corners, constant camber changes and lack of high-speed sections all appear to be playing directly into the strengths of the SF-26 package.

While Mercedes believes progress is still possible overnight, Russell was candid about the challenge ahead of qualifying.

"Every car has an inherent DNA and [Ferrari's] inherent DNA, especially on the mechanical side of the car, clearly works on these street tracks," Russell pointed out. "Especially when there's a lot of warp in the corners, the corners dropping away.

"We're doing everything we can to try and make those improvements, but as I said, I do think we can close the gap if we can overcome it."

For now, though, Monaco’s opening chapter has been written in red. Mercedes may still be in the fight, but Russell’s verdict leaves little doubt about who set the tone on Friday – and who everyone else must now try to catch.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.