George Russell hopes Mercedes won’t be overtaken by other teams’ upgrades. Around the Miami Grand Prix, teams usually introduce major updates, but due to the calendar with a four-week break, many of these developments are shifting to Canada. “As long as we stay at the front, I don’t care much about the rest,” said Russell.
Read more McLaren is bringing big upgrades to Miami: ‘More competitive car’
Mercedes has had a strong start to the season with three victories in the first three races, with George Russell winning the opening race in Australia and Kimi Antonelli taking the other two. The Brit is looking forward to the resumption of the season but emphasized that Mercedes is choosing to introduce the first major updates only in Montreal. “Honestly, I’m ready to go racing again,” Russell said at the opening of KART Silverstone.
‘Updates ready’
Although the break feels like a reset for some drivers, Russell wants to get back on track as soon as possible. “It was such an intense start to the year with Australia, China, and Japan that your biological clock is completely out of whack. And then, with that break ahead, you think: ‘Okay, I want to go racing again’,” emphasized the Mercedes driver.
Read more Marko on Red Bull’s departure: ‘Missing Verstappen’s fifth world title was decisive’
Although Russell sees that his team is in a good position, developments must continue. “We are currently in a strong position, and normally Miami is the race where teams bring major upgrades, but due to this year’s calendar, that shifts to Montreal. There we might see a small shift if someone wants to close the gap with us. We still have updates ready that we want to deploy in Canada,” said the six-time race winner.
Looking at the new regulations announced by the FIA, Russell hopes Mercedes can stay at the top. “The sport is so complex; with these new rules, you get exciting races, but it’s really complicated for the drivers. I think the FIA has done a good job of making it a bit simpler, but I hope this keeps us at the front. And as long as that’s the case, honestly, I don’t care much about the rest,” Russell stated.
Read more Riccardo Patrese doubts Verstappen’s future at Red Bull: ‘He is not happy, everyone wants him’
Read everything about GP Miami here
