George Russell commends Mercedes F1‘s intense winter work and team spirit, aiming for a strong comeback.
George Russell has praised Mercedes F1’s efforts over the winter to climb back to the top after two disappointing seasons. The British driver made a point of paying tribute to the thousands of people at both factories who have spent a great deal of time on the new W15, unveiled today.
“I’m looking forward to competing this season; there’s been a tremendous amount of work over the winter. We’ve learned a lot about these new cars over the last two years, and there’s been a tremendous amount of work, lots of laps in the simulator, lots of meetings and conversations with the engineers,” Russell stated.
“We’ve learned and grown as a team over the last two seasons. It hasn’t been easy, but I truly believe that the journey we’ve been on will make us stronger in the long run. The entire team has worked incredibly hard, and we hope we’ve made a step forward with the W15.”
“We made progress with some of the W14’s most challenging characteristics throughout last year. But we still had a narrow operating window, and once we were outside of that, the car was difficult to drive.”
“We started in 2022, and the car wasn’t performing, but we learned a lot as a team. We have an incredible team, 2000 people at Brackley and Brixworth, who are champions, but also new people who want to bring Mercedes back to the top.”
“This combination ignites the team; everyone is very motivated to work hard. We’ve seen the car in the wind tunnel, on computers, driven it in the simulator, seen the designs with these colors, but what matters most is the track and the lap time it produces.”
“We have no idea what to expect.”
Russell explains that the goal has been to have a less recalcitrant car, one that’s more efficient on all tracks and in all conditions. This, he believes, will unlock performance.
“If we can continue to broaden the car’s operating window, it will give us confidence as drivers and from there, finding lap time will be easier. F1 is an incredibly tough sport. It’s very hard to win.”
“And that’s why we love it. Every woman and man at Brackley and Brixworth is so focused on reaching the top. We continue with this focus and dedication into 2024, and I’m eager to see where it will lead us.”
Russell admits he was eager for this day and finally test the car on track: “I couldn’t sleep last night because I was so excited. When you get to the fourth or fifth race, you know what to expect. But when you arrive at the first test, you have no idea what to expect.”
“We have an indication of the progress we’ve made, but we don’t know what our rivals have done. Have we progressed or made mistakes? Have we taken a step forward? Will teams at the back make significant progress? We’re eager, but we must primarily work, and the rest will follow.”
Russell Praises Mercedes Effort. Russell Praises Mercedes Effort
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