Mercedes have justified their strategy call at the F1 Japanese⭕ Grandꦺ Prix.

The tyre strategy failed to pay off, with 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lewis Hamilton finishing ninth and 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:George Russell seventh.

The first-lap crash for Daniel Ricciardo and Alex 🤪Albon presented an opportunity for every team to find an advantage with the strat☂egy at Suzuka.

• 2024 F1 Japanese Grand Prix - Race Results from Round 4

Mercedes switched their drivers to ♎hard compounds after the restart which resulted in Hamilton aski🔯ng to “change the strategy” via team radio.

Ha🗹milton’s lack of pace even saw him allow 𓆏teammate Russell to pass him.

Mercedes changed their drivers to another set of hardꦬs, then switched to mediums at the end.

A Mercedes spokesman explained their decision-making afterwards: “With our tyre allocation (2 Hard, 1 Mediuꦯm), we were༺ able to give ourselves the possibility of looking at either a one or a two stop after the red flag.

“Hence the Hard tyre restart.

“Ultimately, as the race progressed, t❀he tyre degradation showed that🌠 the two-stop was going to be the quickest way to the flag.

“Our second and third stints showed so꧒lid pace compared to those around us, includin💯g the McLarens and the Ferraris.

“We knew that Suzuka would not be our strongest track though and, with time lost being overtaken on the offset strategy (🤪one of the downsides of this strategy), we couldn’t make it back to P6 which was likely the maximum to♈day.”

Ferrari, notably, had greater success by committing ea𒁏rly to a two-stop strategy.

C🤡arlos Sainz finished third, and Charles Le🔜clerc fourth.

Red 🔥Bull secured a 🐟1-2 finish (their third in four grands prix this year) with Max Verstappen beating Sergio Perez.

Verstappen told Sainz afte🌜rwards in the cooldown room that committing to a two-stop strategy was optimal for Red Bull.

Mercedes, however, were left scratching their heads after a dis♏appointing display in Japan.