George Russell admits Mercedes faced unexpected tire overheating issues during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, marking a departure from their previously consistent performance this season.

Despite maintaining strong podium finishes throughout the season, Russell finished fifth in Jeddah, nearly 30 seconds behind Oscar Piastri. The performance decline was particularly noticeable in the final stages, where he lost approximately one second per lap during the last seven to eight laps.

"A real surprise, really struggling with tire overheating," Russell explained. "I was holding on to the front two at the beginning just by a thread, and then the second stint I was pushing so hard to stay with them and suddenly my tires got way too hot."

The team's limited practice runs prevented them from identifying potential issues beforehand. This outcome contradicted their expectations, as they had anticipated stronger performance in Jeddah compared to Bahrain, where they unexpectedly excelled.

Despite the challenges, Mercedes has doubled their points compared to last year. Russell acknowledges that while fifth place represents their current competitive level, the team needs significant performance improvements to contend for race victories.

"We do want to be fighting for wins, but right now we don't have the pace to do so," Russell stated. "We need to find some performance and find it quick."

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