George Russell believes his last three seasons against teammate Lewis Hamilton have proven his calibre. The 26-year-old is confident that he can become F1 World Champion if Mercedes deliver the correct machinery.
Russell: Whenever we have chances, we convert them
Since arriving at Mercedes in 2022, George Russell has been transparent about his ambitions.
The British driver wants to become F1 Champion, regardless of the person driving alongside him.
Although Mercedes were nowhere near title contention this year, the W15 has been capable of race wins on a semi-regular basis.
Russell believes that, more often than not, he’s capitalised on opportunities to win races.
Speaking before this weekend’s action, he was transparent about his ambitions in Formula 1:
“For me, it’s go out every weekend and try to win. I don’t have anything to prove,” he told the media.
“I’ve been teammates with a 7-time World Champion now for three years. He’s given me such a challenge, but I feel I’ve proven what I’m capable of.
“In any other season, if you finish ahead of Lewis Hamilton, normally that means you’re fighting for a world championship.
“Or you’re winning a world championship, so I know what I’m capable of.
“Even this year, every time we had a chance to be on pole, we’ve been on pole.
“Every time we’ve been there, we’ve been getting the good results. So I know that if we get the car to fight for a World Championship, we’ll be able to do it.”
Several drivers aiming for the crown
With McLaren and Ferrari both taking huge strides this year, next year could see several drivers fighting for the title
Seven drivers have won at least twice in 2024 – and all of them will see title contention as a realistic target in 2025.
For George Russell, perhaps the first objective will be to get the better of teammate Kimi Antonelli.
Once the British driver can establish himself as the benchmark at Brackley, he can set sights on the ultimate crown.
Although Mercedes have been inconsistent at times this year, the W15’s general trajectory is reason enough to be optimistic about next year’s car.
