Russell urges Mercedes to tackle tyre wear after Sepang practice

RacingNews365 reported that Mercedes was the fourth-fastest team in second practice at Sepang on 2 October, with Russell seventh and team-mate Kimi Antonelli eighth. The outlet described the circuit surface as abrasive and track temperatures as high. [1]

Russell said tyre degradation was a major concern in those conditions and that Mercedes needed to work overnight to improve its tyre management. He attributed the team's position to a car set-up that was not in the right window, rather than to its upgrades, while acknowledging that the effect of new parts can be difficult to isolate. [1]