Russell insists Mercedes 'need to find performance quickly' as team seek Monaco turnaround

George Russell believes that Mercedes "need to find performance quickly" having endured a difficult race last time out at Imola, but that the new two-stop regulation for the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend will be "an opportunity".

The Briton finished outside the top-five in a Grand Prix for the first time this season at the previous round in the Emilia-Romagna event, with Russell describing it as Mercedes' 'worst day' in years on pure performance.

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While Russell's consistency has allowed him to challenge towards the front this term, including four podiums from seven Grands Prix, the Mercedes package still appears to be behind McLaren and the Red Bull of Max Verstappen in race conditions.

When asked on Thursday ahead of the Monaco race why he and Mercedes had fallen away from a P3 start to finish only seventh at Imola, Russell believed the hot temperatures were to blame.

“I think the lack of performance in Imola was nothing to do with the updates [on the Mercedes], it was to do with the tyres and we know when it’s hot, or the track is hot, the surface is like an old tarmac and not a new tarmac, we struggle," he said.

"On a good day we’re P3, on a bad day we’re P5 or P6. Maybe in Imola we were a little bit unfortunate with the Safety Cars and we finished in P7 but we know we need to find performance quickly.”

‘It will spice things up’ – F1 drivers intrigued by ‘opportunities and unknowns’ of new two-stop rule for Monaco Grand Prix

An opportunity for Russell and Mercedes to mix with the likes of Drivers' Championship leader Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris during the Monaco race might surface because of a new regulation for this year.

This requires all drivers to make two pit stops during the 78-lap affair, a move designed to increase excitement in Monte Carlo.

“It’s definitely an opportunity," said Russell. "Monaco is one of the most exciting Qualis of the year but come Sunday the leaders just put it in reverse and back up the pack and it isn’t the most exciting race. Whereas now there’s definitely going to be opportunity on the table.”

Team mate Kimi Antonelli endured a difficult home event at Imola, failing to reach Q3 and retiring in the race due to a technical problem while admitting that the home pressure and added off-track commitments had impacted his driving.

"When I was going in the car I could feel I was not the same one as always so definitely it was a really good lesson," he said ahead of the Monaco event.

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"I think this weekend is going to be much calmer on that side and I will use what I learned, definitely, to not repeat the same mistakes again in order to be focused every time I go in the car and also outside the car because last weekend was not the best.

"I didn’t manage it the best on that side and definitely the performance was a little bit worse than usual. Definitely I don’t want that to happen again."