On the eve of the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, Mercedes once again found itself under the spotlight. Following the race in China, footage raised questions about a potential irregularity in the behavior of the active aerodynamics, particularly regarding the closing movement of the front wing. Speaking to the media on Thursday at Suzuka, George Russell addressed the issue in detail, explaining why, from his perspective, it should not be seen as an advantage for the Silver Arrows, but rather as a genuine problem. The British driver also reflected on the championship fight, mentioning rivals who currently appear to be trailing behind.
Russell on the Mercedes front wing: “It’s a problem we are trying to fix, definitely not an advantage”
After analyzing footage from China, speculation began to circulate in the paddock regarding a possible irregularity in the Mercedes front wing. According to what could be observed, the front wing flaps appeared to “close” (from straight-line mode to cornering configuration) with a delay compared to the rear wing, seemingly exceeding the 400-millisecond limit set by the regulations. While the FIA initiated the appropriate checks, George Russell provided his explanation to journalists in Japan.
“It’s not something intentional, and it is definitely not an advantage. It’s actually a problem that we are trying to resolve,” said the Mercedes driver. “It’s not a simple solution to find, but there is certainly no benefit, because we are braking while the wing is still open. Kimi also had a lock-up [during the Shanghai race], and I think one of the causes was precisely the front wing. So it is definitely not something we want.”
George Russell also explained the technical aspect behind the issue: “It’s a complicated movement for the front wing. At the rear, there is airflow that helps the wing to close, but at the front the wing has to fight against the air. It requires a lot of pressure, and we don’t have enough. It’s not easy to make the wing move when you are doing 300 km/h on the straight.”
On rivals: “That’s how the sport works, it’s not right that they try to slow us down”
Meanwhile, Mercedes currently has a car that has proven to be the strongest on track in the opening two races, scoring maximum points in Melbourne and Shanghai, with the only exception being the Chinese Sprint. As rivals raise concerns about the Silver Arrows, George Russell responded firmly.
“That’s how this sport works. Our team has worked hard to be in this position, and the best team should prevail. We had four difficult years, and during that time two other teams dominated, so it’s not right that they try to slow us down just because we are back at the top, especially after only two races.”
According to the British driver, there is still plenty of room for the competitive order to change as the season progresses. “From what we’ve seen, Red Bull was reported to be overweight, McLaren has not yet introduced updates and is still running with the Bahrain package; these are things that should not be forgotten. Right now we are ahead and we hope to stay there, but there are no guarantees.”
George Russell also emphasized that his teammate Kimi Antonelli will not be the only rival to consider in the title fight. “I think at the moment we have a small advantage over Ferrari and a good advantage over the others, but things can change quickly,” he added. “Red Bull could improve quite rapidly, McLaren has not updated the car yet and of course they are running a Mercedes engine. We want to make the most of our advantage, but we are not taking anything for granted. We are sure that Red Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari will keep pushing us. It is far too early to think about the championship.”
George Russell’s firm defense at Suzuka therefore highlights the growing political tension of the 2026 season. Based on the content of his remarks, the technical “glitch” with the front wing is a double-edged sword that Mercedes is desperate to blunt before the FIA takes further action.
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