George Russell doubtful of Mercedes matching Red Bull in early stages of 2023 F1 season
The 25-year-old has ruled out a race victory at the season opener in Bahrain.
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George Russell
Mercedes dominated Formula 1 for several years in the 2010s. However, the Silver Arrows struggled to keep pace with its rivals following the introduction of new regulations in 2022. Subsequently, the German squad has worked extensively on the W14 for this season. Yet George Russell is skeptical about the team’s chances of winning a race at the start of the season.
The British driver believes that Mercedes will not be up to Red Bull’s pace at the season opener in Bahrain. The 25-year-old said, “Whether we’re going to have that next weekend in Bahrain, I think, maybe a bit of a stretch.” Though, George Russell is optimistic about the team’s chances as the season progresses. He continued, “We definitely believe eventually we will have a car capable of getting in that fight.
On the topic of Max Verstappen and Red Bull, George acknowledged the progress made by the Austrian team. The British driver stated, “They look very strong, very stable.” The 25-year-old praised the developments made on the RB-19 alongside Verstappen’s performances. George Russell said, “The car is looking really strong, and obviously Max is performing really well.”
“No reason why eventually we can’t get there,” George Russell said on fighting for the win in 2023
George Russell talked about practical expectations for the Bahrain Grand Prix. He said, “So I think realistically, it will be a stretch for next week.” However, the 25-year-old was optimistic about the team’s prospects in the later stages of the season. George continued, “But there’s no reason why eventually we can’t get there at some point this year.”
The British driver had faith in Mercedes’s in-season development as the Silver Arrows have always developed significantly over the course of a season. George Russell said, “we’ve always seen the strength of Mercedes and their development rates.” Mercedes Team Principle, Toto Wolff has already claimed major upgrades for the W14 during the season.
George Russell has ruled out any potential race wins in the early stages of the season. Although, the Silver Arrows are presently working to the limit to bridge the gap with Red Bull Racing. Fans will look forward to seeing how the Mercedes W14 evolves over the season and whether Russell or Lewis Hamilton finally gets a shot at the world title in the new era.
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Armaan Agarwal
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