The only saving grace for Mercedes’s poor car this season has been George Russell, whose consistency in all the races so far is commendable. However, his performance alone can’t hide the truth of the Mercedes single-seater. The W13 is a long way away from competing with the top two, a fact made apparent in the Azerbaijan GP qualifying.

The results of the qualifying absolutely shocked George Russell, as heard on the team radio. The Brit could not believe his ears when he realized the gap from the pole sitter Charles Leclerc. Russell out qualified Lewis Hamilton again and sits at P5, two places ahead of the world champion. But the gap from the top of the grid, the actual competition, is massive for Mercedes, and Russell’s reaction says it all.

During his team radio position update, they informed Russell of his position and the gap to Leclerc. Leclerc finished the qualifying with a 1:41.359 compared to Russell’s 1:42.712. To make matters worse, the top four finished in the 1:41 range, and Sainz, the slowest of the four, was still almost a second faster with a 1:41.814.

Read More: Lewis Hamilton F1 Grid Position Under Threat at Azerbaijan GP With Recent Investigation

The qualifying timings absolutely shocked Russell. Initially appreciating the P5 with a “Good job” remark, Russell’s expressions changed when he realized the gap. He exclaimed on the team radio, saying, “Blimey…blimey, blimey, blimey. Work to do! Let’s keep pushing”

A lot of work to do indeed if Mercedes wants to get anywhere near the top of the grid. An impossible task in the race with their pace almost a second off the competition.

George Russell is confident but only of a bad outcome

The young Mercedes Brit is confident if the bouncing of the W13 does not stop, there will be a major incident. And the porpoising issue is not just Mercedes’ to claim, other teams are struggling as well. The 2022 regulations clearly mandated changes which is causing all the bouncing.

And Russell, among other drivers, feels this will cause a major incident if the proposing issue isn’t resolved. Russell said, “I think it’s just a matter of time before we see a major incident.”

Watch this story: Daniel Riccardo Pushed Aside As Lewis Hamilton Takes The Spotlight With Avid F1 Fan

The Baku main straight is one of the fastest ones on the calendar, with speeds up to 215mph. And if last season is any proof, there might be over one major incident in the race, especially keeping the excessive bouncing in mind.