George Russell ‘not surprised’ to see McLaren’s strong pace at preseason testing

Mercedes' George Russell reckoned that McLaren might've been the strongest team during preseason testing in Bahrain.

George Russell ‘not surprised’ to see McLaren’s strong pace at preseason testing

George Russell and Lando Norris (via IMAGO)

The 2025 season is expected to witness one of the closest battles for the F1 world title. Four teams seem to be in the running for the championship battle. However, Mercedes’ George Russell has hinted that one team might be ahead of the rest of the competition.

Drivers have given mixed responses after preseason testing. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton has been extremely positive over his team’s prospects, while Max Verstappen has admitted that Red Bull will not be the fastest team on the grid. With the rest of the grid trying to not reveal their cards just yet.

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George Russell claimed that the Silver Arrows expected its rivals to be strong during preseason testing, particularly reigning world champions McLaren. Nevertheless, the Briton insisted that Mercedes is focused on its own efforts and will make improvements before the first race by analyzing its data from Bahrain.

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It’s no surprise to see that some of our opponents, especially McLaren, are strong. We have collected important data and knowledge that give us the opportunity to find further improvements in view of Melbourne.

George Russell said, as reported by FormulaPassion.it

George Russell pinpoints challenging weather in Bahrain

Weather conditions at the Sakhir International Circuit surprised the entire F1 paddock. Charles Leclerc had confessed that it created difficult conditions for drivers. Even George Russell asserted that the colder than usual weather made it more challenging to get an idea of the pecking order for this season.

George Russell
George Russell (via Motorsport Total)

The conditions were also mixed, with cold and wind especially in the first two days. This has made it even more difficult than usual to get an idea of the hierarchies.

George Russell explained

It seems that F1 teams might be in the dark over the performance of their rivals. It is not unusual for teams to hide their true pace during testing. However, with the grid expected to be extremely close this year, no driver can really be labeled a favorite before the season opener in Melbourne.