George Russell: The car has become easier to handle.
In Hungary, the Mercedes team brought the previous specification rear suspension in attempts to solve the car's issues. After Friday's practice sessions, George Russell and Kimi Anttonelli discussed that it was a step in the right direction.
George Russell (7th): "A strange day. We expected McLaren drivers to be quick, but lap times still came as a surprise. Apparently, Aston Martin has good pace on the quick lap, and several other cars look competitive over longer runs.
But we are always focused on our own tasks. The team brought the previous specification rear suspension to achieve greater stability in the car's behavior. We didn't expect it to be a game-changer, but the car has become much easier to handle, which gave me confidence.
Overall, it was a positive Friday, and we will continue working in the remaining days of the weekend to finish Sunday with a solid result."
Kimi Anttonelli (10th): "I am quite satisfied with today's practice. I felt more confident in the car than in previous races and was able to achieve higher speed. We still lack pace compared to the leaders, but I hope we now have a good platform for further development.
On the quick lap with an empty tank, traffic hindered me, so I could have been higher in the session's timing sheet. The speed over a long run looks competitive, so I have good feelings about the weekend.
However, considering everything said, Friday's results mean nothing. We all know how important the position is on this track, so tomorrow's qualifying will be crucial. The competition is very tight, and we must do everything to ensure an optimal chance to earn points on Sunday. That is our goal.
We will continue working hard in the evening to find ways to improve on Saturday."
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George Russell: The car has become easier to handle.
The Mercedes team brought the previous specification rear suspension to Hungary in an attempt to solve the car's issues. After Friday's practice sessions, George Russell and Kimi Räikkönen said that it was a step in the right direction.