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Mercedes team struggles in the heat DT News Network [email protected] he Mercedes Team have struggled to adjust to the ‘hot and abrasive surface’ of the Bahrain tracks, according to Mercedes TeamT Principal . The Mercedes Team have found their tyres on cars with the super soft tyre compounds get overheated due to the higher temperatures in Bahrain, he said. “I always said straight from the beginning it would be a season where it will be much tougher, particularly against Ferrari and Red Bull. I was genuine about it. I meant it. On a track like Bahrain, with a very abrasive surface, and lots of heat, we struggled,” said Wolff. “On the softs, the car were much better, but putting the softer compound on, the supersoft, it looks like we’re overheating and therefore not extracting the optimum grip,” he said. Mercedes racer echoed similar concerns, he said that the Ferrari team have better adjusted to the hotter circuit “We come to a hotter circuit and often the gap closes a little bit because the Ferrari’s maybe have an upgrade, their engine mode is easily as good as ours.” “As you could see this weekend on the straights they are just as quick if not quicker. When you get to a hot circuit it’s really difficult to keep the temperatures low in the tyres and that’s something they’ve always been good at,” he said. Hamilton started yesterday’s race at ninth following a five- place grid penalty handed to him because of breach of rules over Lewis Hamilton racing at the Bahrain circuit gearbox change. Seventh place ‘a coincidence’ for Alonso Manama But both drivers recovered car’s performance. “A pretty difficult weekend ernando Alonso says to finish in the points on “We fixed it [qualifying] on saved by the bell at the last his seventh place in the Sunday, with Alonso seventh the opening lap, didn’t we?” moment with two cars in the FBahrain Grand Prix was a and Vandoorne coming home joked Alonso. points and with good points “bit of a coincidence” and eighth. “When I looked in the for the team, but we know we admits his McLaren Formula It is the first time that mirrors and I saw Hamilton have to improve because today 1 team must improve in the McLaren has scored points in behind I thought ‘I don’t was a bit of a coincidence.” upcoming races. consecutive races with both know what position I’m in but Alonso’s result, which The Woking-based team cars since the 2014 season. it can’t be too bad if Hamilton was aided by the retirement was left “astonished” on But despite making is behind’. of Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen Saturday after struggling progress in the race, Alonso “We were still lacking a bit and the two Red Bull drivers, in qualifying, where Alonso admitted the weekend had of pace in the race to be with helped Alonso move into finished 13th with team-mate been particularly tough for Hulkenberg and to attack the fourth place in the points Stoffel Vandoorne one place McLaren and conceded that Haas. standings. (Autosport) further back. the result flattered the

Fernando Alonso (file pic)