It is safe to say George Russell‘s time at Mercedes hasn’t gone as he had imagined it. Coming off the back of an uber-dominant era led by Lewis Hamilton, Russell was hoping the Silver Arrows would kick off the 2022 Formula 1 rules era in similar vein, only to be hamstrung by a recalcitrant and bouncy lineage of cars that Mercedes failed to get a consistent tune out of.
But amid Mercedes highs and lows over the past few campaigns, Russell showed he has what it takes to pick up the baton from the departed Hamilton, and delivered his best and most consistent season yet in 2025. After witnessing Lando Norris grab a world title last year, will Russell now finally get his turn in year five of his Mercedes stint?
Ronald Vording – Russell can capitalise on his experience and consistency
When thinking about George Russell’s 2025 campaign, the word that comes to mind is consistency. In the ground-effect era, Mercedes did not (yet) have the machinery to fight for the biggest prizes, but Russell as an individual proved to be remarkably consistent, and at a high level.
That is exactly what is required for his first F1 title fight and it appears that opportunity has now arrived – at least if Mercedes delivers on the potential that almost everyone in the paddock attributes to Toto Wolff’s team and its power unit. Kimi Antonelli is still learning, so this seems to be the year for Russell to capitalise on his additional experience, much like Norris did last year compared to Oscar Piastri.
As for the ratings, I feel Russell should score higher in terms of consistency than in any other category. His pace is not far behind, although in terms of outright speed I have still placed him below Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and (marginally) Norris. Due to a few incidents in previous years, his racecraft still leaves some room for improvement, although that aspect may also become easier if this year’s Mercedes proves to be as competitive as expected.
Stuart Codling – F1’s Powerpoint king may have found his metier
In terms of one-lap pace, perhaps over a race distance too, I would still rate Charles Leclerc as having a bit of an edge over Russell. But not a big one – last year Russell really evolved as a competitor, and might even have been closer to the ultimate championship battle had Mercedes not gone down a blind alley with its rear suspension.
Famously, Russell made his pitch to join Merc’s junior driver programme with the aid of a PowerPoint presentation. He’s the kind of driver who will happily use any technological tool to equip himself with a competitive edge.
Insiders say Russell has thrown himself into the simulator programme with a relentless energy over the winter, exploring as many permutations of the energy-management rigmarole as he can to prepare himself for making the process automatic when it comes to race situations. It’s likely he’s the best-prepared of all the drivers as they embark on what will be an eventful journey under the new regs.
Also, Hamilton likes a stable car under braking, and this isn’t what he’s going to get with the flighty 2026 machines, along with the not-always-predictable effects of the electric motor harvesting under deceleration. Shame, but the formula continues to move away from his skill set.
George Russell, Mercedes
Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Jake Boxall-Legge – No wonder Russell is the bookies’ favourite
The early evidence suggests that Mercedes has an excellent chance at fighting for regular victories in 2026. If that’s the case, expect Russell to spearhead the team’s hopes at capturing a first drivers’ title since 2020, as he seeks to carry over last season’s momentum. At 28 and embarking on his eighth season in F1, Russell should be in his prime – and he’s got the mental bandwidth and acuity to make a success of the 2026 regulations.
He should be able to get on terms with a car with a little bit less downforce than before – after all, he did drive the 2019 Williams for a year – and the machinery at his disposal should be one of the leading cars of the 2026 order. No wonder he’s the bookies’ favourite.
How our rating system works
To set the drivers apart, we have taken inspiration from the official F1 game to attribute scores in four different categories, out of a maximum of 100.
- Experience (EXP): An objective score simply based on the driver’s experience level through total race starts
- Racecraft (RAC): The driver’s ability to race wheel to wheel, either to defend a position or pull off a decisive overtake, without landing themselves in trouble with the stewards
- Consistency (CON): The driver’s ability to keep clean, avoid unforced errors while being consistently quick in a race
- Pace (PAC): Reflects a driver’s pace over one lap, largely in relation to their team-mate
- Overall Rating (OVR): The four above categories will be combined into an overall rating, weighted towards Pace.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: motorsport.com
