George Russell asserts Mercedes F1 is advancing, yet the team faces towering expectations in its quest for dominance.
George Russell is convinced that the success of teams is cyclical, and that Mercedes F1 needs time to reclaim the summit. According to him, expectations are high and this is why there is a perceived lack of patience within the team.
“To be honest, I think the team has been under a lot of scrutiny over these past three years,” Russell stated. “I think everyone has faced challenges along the way. Excluding Red Bull from the equation, the team was on an excellent path and managed to pull through.”
“However, we all found ourselves playing catch-up. Ferrari was well ahead of us in 2022. They fell behind us in 2023, and now they are just ahead, but they are still not fighting for the championship at present. And McLaren has had a few tough years.”
“Now, they are back at the forefront, where they were 15 years ago. As I’ve mentioned, Mercedes has been closely monitored due to the relative failure we’ve experienced. But this is Formula 1, it’s a formidable challenge. And there are so many great teams and designers in this field.”
“I believe we are progressing, but it never happens overnight. And we saw during Mercedes’ domination, those teams behind, Ferrari, Red Bull, they could never just power through. Red Bull, how many years before they could compete with Mercedes for the championship?”
“I think that’s the nature of the sport, and I hope that by 2026, it won’t be as variable, because as drivers, you all want an equal chance to showcase your skills and compete on the track.”
Toto Wolff had admitted that the team was “zigzagging” to find the path, and that it was struggling to do so. Russell agrees with his boss but thinks the team is finding its way: “I think these zigzags may have eased over these years.”
“When we got the car in 2022, we probably made a significant change, realized we were mistaken, made a big shift in the other direction and this gradually turned into more incremental changes.”
“And I think we have recognized that small changes can bring significant performances. Everyone is moving forward. And that’s what’s impressive in Formula 1. Hopefully, this will be the case, as it would be great to have four leading teams competing in the future.”
Mercedes F1’s Quest for the Top Amid High Hopes. Mercedes F1’s Quest for the Top Amid High Hopes
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