Good news for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell; Mercedes give them health “substantial” and upgrade there pay to…
Mercedes give Lewis Hamilton and George Russell health update
Lewis Hamilton with his head down on the grid
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton.
Mercedes technical director James Allison said both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton were able to “bounce back relatively swiftly” after suffering from what the team called borderline heatstroke in Singapore.
The two Silver Arrows drivers appeared to be the drivers who were most affected by the conditions of Singapore with neither attending their media duties after the race.
Mercedes give health update for George Russell and Lewis Hamilton
Hamilton and Russell both skipped their duties in order to recover from what was described as borderline heatstroke.
“Unfortunately neither George or Lewis will be attending the media pen this evening as they recover from the exertions of this evening’s race,” a spokesperson said on the night with Toto Wolff later adding they had “borderline heatstroke or something like that“.
Footage of Russell later appeared on social media showing the Briton staggering as he made his way through parc ferme at the end of the race.
The good news, though, is Allison said after a short while they were back feeling fit.
“Well I think like the rest of us they’re feeling fed up that the car was not particularly competitive in race trim,” he said. “It was okay in quali but not in race trim.
“We suffered again from a thing that has been problematic for us which is on softer rubber at tracks where tyre temperature is at a premium, where it’s very easy to overheat, we lose relative competitiveness and Singapore is at the extreme end of that experience and it was quite a difficult thing for them to manage.
“And to add insult to injury, 30 degrees air temperature, 70% relative humidity, it was very, very, very hot in the car and at the end of the race both of them were feeling that. They feel a lot better now from the heat part of it, you know.
“Cold ice bath and a few drinks and they bounce back relatively swiftly but the more significant thing which is caring about the pace of the car, that hurt lingers a little longer.”
Allison also took time to praise Hamilton in particular after the driver racked up his 350th start in F1.
“Lewis has had a career that I think won’t ever be matched by any other driver and for him to have done it all with one engine supplier, with Mercedes engines, is I think particularly remarkable.
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“We are coming towards the end of our journey with him and almost every weekend is a milestone never to be repeated with Lewis.
“It’s just a shame that it happened on a weekend where the car was not more bright and my hope is that we won’t have to go too far beyond the 350th, maybe we can celebrate the 351st in greater style in Austin in a week or two from now.”
