George Russell says he is confident Mercedes are “not going to fall into a trap” with their 2025 car in the same way they have done in recent seasons.
Mercedes won eight successive constructors’ titles from 2014 to 2021 but have struggled, at least relatively speaking, since new design regulations were introduced at the start of 2022, which was also when Russell joined the team.
The Silver Arrows won just one race across the 2022 and 2023 seasons, and although they topped the podium four times in 2024, fourth place in the teams’ standings behind McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull was their lowest finish since 2012.
Those struggles have been dictated by a weak starting point for each of the last three campaigns, but in the final season before the regulations change once more, Russell is optimistic about the team’s chances of being competitive from the off.
George Russell says he has no concerns over Max Verstappen and admits things got out line of in 2024 between the pair.
Speaking as Mercedes’ W16 was revealed at F1’s all-team launch in London, Russell said: “I think it’s going to be a significant change this year, to be honest. Every year we’ve uncovered a problem, we’ve solved it, and it’s created a new one.
“We’ve probably been a lot more disciplined with every change that we’ve made and been more thorough than ever in terms of the simulator running – just to ensure we’re not going to fall into a new trap.
“And so far, it’s a reasonable step, obviously you have no idea what everyone else is doing and it’s going to be, I feel like, quite an interesting season with how people deploy the resource between 2025 and 2026.”
Jack Whitehall poked fun at Max Verstappen and George Russell, in reference to their war of words from the end of last season
Russell noted the impact of the efforts of his new team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the 18-year-old Italian who has replaced Lewis Hamilton following the seven-time world champion’s switch to Ferrari.
“I’m more confident this year that with the work we’ve done on the sim – we’ve got some really great simulator drivers putting in lots of effort, Kimi’s been doing some really great work as well – I’m much more confident we’re not going to fall into a trap as we have done in the previous years.”
Asked to elaborate on what exactly he had meant when he spoke of “a trap”, Russell explained: “I think the last the last couple of years we’ve been so focused on solving the problem we weren’t looking ahead to what future issues it would cause.
Toto Wolff reveals that the team has recognised where the car was weak, while George Russell believes they can feel optimistic Mercedes are going in the ‘right direction’ with their 2025 car
“You solve one thing and then it creates a new problem, so we’ve been forward-thinking much more than we have done in the past and that’s quite normal in the world of, like, aero when you’re developing in the wind-tunnel, but when you’re changing characteristics of the car and how it’s going to handle and how it’s going to feel for us driving it – if you make the front stronger it’s going to take away from the rear. And if you go too far, that’s just as much of a problem than if it’s in the opposite direction.
“So, I think it’s really being thorough, saying, ‘these are the fundamental changes we’re going to make, we think it’s going to do ‘x’, is that going to be a problem at these races and if so, how are we going to drive around it?'”
Russell eyes race pace improvement
Despite Mercedes’ lack of consistency, Russell generally impressed in 2024 as he finished 22 points clear of Hamilton in the drivers’ standings.
Russell was particularly dominant over Hamilton in qualifying, bettering his team-mate 19-5 in Grand Prix qualifying while also establishing a 5-1 advantage in Sprint sessions.
Toto Wolff and George Russell discuss where they should celebrate the Las Vegas GP victory!
Considering that advantage, the gap between them in the overall standings might have been greater, and Russell acknowledges he can still improve his race performances.
Asked what he can do to reach the next level, Russell said: “You’ve got to work in tandem with the team because it is man and machine and they sort of work together.
“I feel last year the car – well, the last couple of years – the car has sort of suited my driving style quite naturally, but I feel I can adapt to whatever is coming my way.
“My qualifying performance last year was my strength. I still felt I had more to bring in the race and I think these last three years have shown that.
“I think in 2022 my outright speed was never questionable but Lewis probably had the edge of me in the race pace, and then each year I’ve just got stronger and stronger, so [I’m] just looking to hone in on that a little bit more.
“And I’ve recognised the tracks that I’ve struggled at and that I want to work on. So yes, small details.”
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