Possible Mercedes problem signaled: "That won't work"

The Mercedes car has not impressed so far this season, but Lewis Hamilton and George Russell do seem ready to fight for the world title. Jean Alesi, however, expects a problem, he writes in Corriere della Sera.

Whereas Mercedes chose Valtteri Bottas as its second driver in recent seasons, this race year Russell made his appearance. The driver, who comes from Williams, should provide fresh energy at Mercedes. In addition, the team hopes that he proves good enough to succeed Hamilton.

Therein lies a problem, however, according to Alesi. The seven-time world champion will want to show himself, especially after last season's second place, while Russell, as a newcomer, has something to prove. "Hamilton always wants to prove he is the strongest at Mercedes, while Russell will want to beat a champion. That won't work well," he told the Italian medium.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Mercedes is working on the necessary improvements to the new car. Among other things, Russell indicated this week that he hopes the porpoising will soon be a thing of the past. For now, however, Hamilton and Russell continue to suffer from the problem.