George Russell's arrival at Mercedes was nothing short of spectacular. First his one-off replacement, then his gradual but decisive domination of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, heralded serious things to come.
In 2022, in his first year at Mercedes, for example, he scored the team's only victory, and this year, as last year, he surpassed his multiple world champion teammate. That's why Russell - perhaps rightly - feels that if he had arrived a little earlier, if he had been given the chance a little earlier, he could already be world champion. Maybe even twice.
"Being in Lewis' shadow wasn't easy. I was a teammate of a seven-time world champion for three seasons, and that was during an unfortunate period for me. There were times when, if you finished ahead of Hamilton, it meant winning the race, but most importantly the championship. That's why I think if I had been given the chance by Toto Wolff earlier, I could have had two world titles by now.
My goal now is to become world champion. I will do everything, I will do my job, as in recent years. I work with the same team of engineers, the same mechanics and I believe that a consistent and persistent approach will soon bear fruit," said George Russell.
Photo: F1
