In a surprising turn of events, George Russell has dismissed any notions of contending for the Formula 1 title in 2025, even after his remarkable performance at the Bahrain Grand Prix showcased Mercedes’ progress. Russell’s stellar start to the season reached new heights in Sakhir, where he clinched his third podium finish in four races despite encountering late issues with his Mercedes.
The resurgence of Mercedes as a formidable opponent to McLaren carries significant weight, confirming that the team has overcome the challenges that plagued them in 2024. The struggles with the W15 car, particularly in high temperatures, seem to be a thing of the past as Russell’s exceptional showing in Bahrain indicates Mercedes has addressed its weaknesses.
Mercedes’ unexpected pace in Bahrain surpassed everyone’s expectations, with team principal Toto Wolff acknowledging that the team’s competitiveness exceeded their internal projections. Despite Russell’s impressive second-place finish in Bahrain, he remains cautious about his championship prospects.
Russell’s ability to fend off Lando Norris in the closing stages of the Bahrain Grand Prix narrowed the gap to his McLaren rivals, but he remains skeptical about challenging them for the title. The Briton believes McLaren’s current dominance is unparalleled, making it unlikely for Mercedes to mount a serious challenge in 2025.
While Russell’s recent successes have been commendable, he remains grounded in his assessment of Mercedes’ championship chances. Despite his podium finishes in Bahrain and Melbourne, Russell acknowledges the need to continue accumulating points but remains realistic about the team’s long-term prospects.
As the season unfolds, the dynamics between Mercedes and McLaren will undoubtedly shape the championship race, but for now, Russell’s focus remains on consistently scoring points rather than aiming for the title. With uncertainty looming over Mercedes’ championship aspirations, the 2025 Formula 1 season promises to be a thrilling battle between the top teams, with Russell’s performance serving as a barometer for the team’s progress.
Russell's outstanding beginning to the season continued in Sakhir last weekend as he overcame late trouble with his Mercedes to seize his third podium in four races. Mercedes emerging as the main challenger to McLaren had added significance as it authenticated that the team has resolved a limitation that plagued it during 2024.
The German marque’s W15 transpired to be a capricious car that would drop outside its optimal working window whenever the temperatures resided on the high side. However, Russell’s showing on a weekend that combined scorching track conditions and an abrasive asphalt has suggested Mercedes has addressed that weakness.
Asked how much confidence his second-place result inspired, Russell told media including Motorsport Week: "Yeah, a lot of confidence, to be honest. This was the real sort of test for us. We knew that our car likes the cold conditions, and the competitiveness we showed in China and Suzuka was no major surprise. But this was going to be the question mark – here in Bahrain. And we’ve had another strong weekend. So it bodes well for the season."
Mercedes pace in Bahrain exceeded the team’s expectations. Wolff concurred with Russell’s assessment, as he expressed that Mercedes’ competitiveness relative to the opposition exceeded the team’s internal expectations. "We would have expected that Bahrain would have been one of the very difficult ones for us, because of one, [the temperature], and the very granular, rough circuit," he said. "And I think in the end we qualified P2 and P4. We had a car that was able to be solid on the podium, and that is better than we expected. You can call a race a success if you win, but, in the circumstances, one could say it was much better than we expected."
Russell downplays championship talk, noting that repelling Lando Norris’ advances on the last lap to split the McLaren drivers in Bahrain ensured that he reduced the gap to his leading compatriot to 14 points. However, the Briton, who has insisted since the opening round that McLaren is guaranteed to win both championships, suspects a maiden title tilt will come too soon.
Asked whether he is a genuine challenger in 2025, Russell responded: "I’d love to say so, but I don’t think we are, to be honest. McLaren are just too dominant right now. I think this is probably going to be their peak performance – what we saw this week in Bahrain. And what we saw in China and Suzuka is probably their worst-case scenario and they still obviously got one victory from those two races. So we’ve got to keep on picking up the points, picking up the pieces. And this weekend we picked up the pieces to get a P2 – and we did it in Melbourne as well to get the P3. I don’t expect this to continue for many races to come, but who knows."
As the season progresses, fans and analysts alike will be keeping a close eye on the evolving competition between Mercedes and McLaren. With George Russell at the helm, the Silver Arrows are poised for a season filled with challenges and potential triumphs, but the road to the top seems steep amid McLaren's current dominance. Stay tuned for more updates on George Russell and Mercedes’ quest for Formula 1 glory as the season unfolds.
