Russell Hails ‘Positive Day’ as Mercedes Kicks Off Testing

George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli completed Mercedes’ planned testing program in Bahrain, marking a promising start to their 2025 campaign.

The British driver took to the track in Sakhir this afternoon and, despite a brief interruption due to an electrical issue at the circuit, he was satisfied with completing the team’s planned program.

“It was good to get behind the wheel of the W16 for the first day of testing and start gaining a better understanding of the car. It was a positive day as everything went smoothly, and we managed to work through our program despite the afternoon’s lighting disruption,” Russell said.

“This is just the first day, and the cool conditions are unusual for Bahrain, so we can’t rely too much on performance at this stage. We’re pleased with our work today and looking forward to getting back on track tomorrow.”

Russell remains aware that drawing conclusions about the competitive order from testing is difficult: “It’s a fresh start for all of us, and we’re excited to see what the season holds. The team has made a strong start. The car is handling well.”

“Conditions are obviously very different from what we’re used to, with a lot of wind. And we also know that last season, for example, performance levels fluctuated significantly across all teams.”

“Whether you end up as the fastest or fourth fastest in testing, you might not be able to draw too many conclusions, but the car is performing well nonetheless.”

Andrea Kimi Antonelli put in a solid effort on his first official day as a Mercedes race driver: “It was my first morning in the car, and it was a good session. I really enjoyed getting behind the wheel of the W16 and working through our program.”

“It was great to start building my feeling with the car and complete some laps. We finished our program, but there’s still a lot of work to do over the next two days, so I’m looking forward to getting back on track tomorrow.”

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Mercedes Begins ‘Fresh Start’ with Strong Opening Test in Bahrain Mercedes Begins ‘Fresh Start’ with Strong Opening Test in Bahrain