The Italian Grand Prix proved to be a challenging race for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, as both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell reflected on their respective performances with a mix of frustration and self-criticism.

Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time World Champion, expressed his dissatisfaction with the pace of his Mercedes after crossing the finish line in fifth place. Despite pushing hard throughout the race, Hamilton was unable to challenge the frontrunners, leaving him visibly frustrated with the car’s performance.

In his post-race comments, Hamilton acknowledged the difficulties he faced during the race at Monza, a track known for its high-speed straights and demanding corners. “It was a tough race for us today,” Hamilton admitted. “We struggled to find the pace we needed to compete at the front. The car just wasn’t where we wanted it to be, and that made it difficult to close the gap to the leaders.”

Hamilton’s frustration was palpable as he reflected on the race. “I gave it everything I had, but we just couldn’t match the speed of the cars ahead. It’s disappointing because we come here to fight for victories, and today, we weren’t in that position. We need to go back and analyze where we can improve because we have to be stronger in the upcoming races.”

Meanwhile, George Russell, Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate, was left ruing a costly mistake on the first lap that he believes compromised his chances of competing at the sharp end of the grid. Russell, who started the race with hopes of a strong finish, made an error early on that saw him drop positions, forcing him into a recovery drive for the remainder of the race.

Reflecting on his performance, Russell was candid about his mistake and the impact it had on his race. “I made a mistake on the first lap, and that cost me dearly,” Russell admitted. “I lost a few positions and spent the rest of the race trying to recover. It’s frustrating because I felt we had the potential to be more competitive today, but I let that opportunity slip away.”

Russell’s recovery drive saw him claw back some positions, but it wasn’t enough to challenge for the podium, leaving him with a sense of what might have been. “I know I can do better, and today was a reminder that in Formula One, even the smallest mistake can have a big impact. I have to learn from this and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

The Italian Grand Prix marked another difficult weekend for Mercedes, as the team continues to grapple with the performance limitations of their car in the 2024 season. With both Hamilton and Russell expressing their frustrations, it’s clear that the team has work to do if they want to close the gap to their rivals and return to the top step of the podium.

As the Formula One calendar moves forward, Mercedes will be looking to address the issues that have plagued their season thus far. For Hamilton, the focus will be on finding the pace that has eluded him in recent races, while Russell will be aiming to avoid the mistakes that have cost him valuable points.

The Italian Grand Prix may not have delivered the results that Mercedes had hoped for, but with both drivers determined to bounce back, the team will be working tirelessly to ensure they are more competitive in the races to come.