The season that has just ended has been bittersweet for George Russell. After three years spent in Williams battling in the rear, the young British talent was finally able to get behind the wheel of the Mercedes, demonstrating all his qualities in the presence of the best drivers in the world. Russell achieved the first pole position and the first win of his career in a season in which he found himself facing the most successful driver in the history of F1, Lewis Hamilton, on the other side of the garage. The Stevenage veteran was beaten by the #63 in number of hits and starts at post (a 1-0 double) and also in points earned. No one had ever managed to combine all three of these results competing against ‘The Hammer’.
Paradoxically, however, Russell’s splendid debut season coincided with the Mercedes worst year in terms of performance since entering the hybrid era. The Brackley-based team finished third in the constructors’ standings, beaten by Red Bull and Ferrari, and there is uncertainty about what the title hopes of the two silver arrows could be in 2023. Russell however, during an interview issued at BBC, showed optimism. The obvious steps forward made by the W13 during the championship will be useful, according to the 24-year-old Englishman, to get closer to the very first positions on the grid in the season that starts in Bahrain on March 5th.
“We are a step behind Red Bull and Ferrari and we have to catch up a lot – acknowledged Russell to the British state broadcaster – but definitely next year we will be in a much stronger position from the first race compared to this year. As a team, these difficulties will better prepare us for the years to come – added the standard bearer of Mercedes – so hopefully I can look back 10 years from now and say this 2022 season has been good for our journey“.
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