Mercedes Expects Greater Difficulty in Canada Compared to Spain

Andrew Shovlin, head of Mercedes' racing engineering, believes that the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal will pose a bigger challenge than the Spanish Grand Prix for a team that has improved its performance in the Formula 1 World Championship. Shovlin stated during a team meeting that the upgrades made to the cars and the circuit specifications helped Mercedes in Spain, but the track hosting the Canadian Grand Prix on the 18th of this month is entirely different. He added, "There are more corners that require speed reductions and many straights that allow drivers to accelerate to maximum speed, and we expect it to be tougher there." He continued, "We do not think we will be chasing Red Bull; we will prepare to compete with Ferrari, Aston Martin, and possibly even Alpine." Mercedes secured second and third places at the Catalonia circuit in Barcelona earlier this week, marking the first time this season that seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell appeared on the podium together. Red Bull, the reigning champion, has won seven races so far, with Dutch driver Max Verstappen, the overall leader and defending champion, winning five of them, while his Mexican teammate Sergio Perez has two victories.