2022 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[AR3-GP]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/russe ... /10403659/

Interesting discussion from Russell. In short, his focus is entirely on beating Verstappen. He doesn't mention any other team or driver, not even his own teammate.

[Big Tea]

He is factually correct though. Each time someone has beaten Hamilton they have been champion.
However there is the small problem of Max Charles and Checo

He's wrong actually Jenson beat Lewis in 2011!

Well he did become world champ

[dans79]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/russe ... /10403659/

Interesting discussion from Russell. In short, his focus is entirely on beating Verstappen. He doesn't mention any other team or driver, not even his own teammate.

i think you might be slightly misinterpreting that. As the reigning wdc, and the lead driver of the reigning wcc, he will be the target of every driver on the grid. I'm sure Lewis, Charles, and Carlos would say much the same thing.

[chrisc90]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/russe ... /10403659/

Interesting discussion from Russell. In short, his focus is entirely on beating Verstappen. He doesn't mention any other team or driver, not even his own teammate.

Russell should focus on the likes of Sainz, Perez and Charles before going for Max. IMHO, he has a long way to go before he can challenge Max for titles.

[harty71]

Russell starting to gloat now about beating Hamilton, I imagine Hamilton won't enjoy reading quotes like that.

Russell is very cocksure of himself, one can only be that way if they believe they have got the other driver in their pocket.

To be the best you have to think you're the best.

[zibby43]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/russe ... /10403659/

Interesting discussion from Russell. In short, his focus is entirely on beating Verstappen. He doesn't mention any other team or driver, not even his own teammate.

Russell should focus on the likes of Sainz, Perez and Charles before going for Max. IMHO, he has a long way to go before he can challenge Max for titles.

Seeing how he raced Max in the Interlagos sprint told me all I need to know about George’s capacity to handle that.

[zibby43]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/russe ... /10403659/

Interesting discussion from Russell. In short, his focus is entirely on beating Verstappen. He doesn't mention any other team or driver, not even his own teammate.

He says “we” - as in he, Lewis, and the team.

“. . . but equally knowing there's a lot to improve if we want to fight with Max [Verstappen].”

[chrisc90]

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/russe ... /10403659/

Interesting discussion from Russell. In short, his focus is entirely on beating Verstappen. He doesn't mention any other team or driver, not even his own teammate.

Russell should focus on the likes of Sainz, Perez and Charles before going for Max. IMHO, he has a long way to go before he can challenge Max for titles.

Seeing how he raced Max in the Interlagos sprint told me all I need to know about George’s capacity to handle that.

There's a BIG difference between a poorly setup Redbull and a Mercedes that took its chances. Mercedes literally had no answer to Max's Red bull this season.

If we look at how Georges raced the likes of Perez (france) and others, we will see that he isnt up there yet.

[dans79]

There's a BIG difference between a poorly setup Redbull and a Mercedes that took its chances. Mercedes literally had no answer to Max's Red bull this season.

How do you explain Zandvoort, because before the safety car it looked Like Max was not going to be able to overtake the Mercs!

Edit: some other races this year where similar.

[De Jokke]

Russell should focus on the likes of Sainz, Perez and Charles before going for Max. IMHO, he has a long way to go before he can challenge Max for titles.

Seeing how he raced Max in the Interlagos sprint told me all I need to know about George’s capacity to handle that.

There's a BIG difference between a poorly setup Redbull and a Mercedes that took its chances. Mercedes literally had no answer to Max's Red bull this season.

If we look at how Georges raced the likes of Perez (france) and others, we will see that he isnt up there yet.

Chris, take a look at Barcelona. Russel (driving a dud) gave driving lessons to Max in the dominant RBR.
He might not be on Lewis level yet, but is certainly on the level just below, like Charles and Max.

[caddy]

If George can beat Lewis over a season, he can challenge the likes of Max and Charles. Whether he can beat is a question of superiority of equipment.

[chrisc90]

I don’t agree that Max is flattered by a significantly better car. Last year the car wasn’t the best and still won the season with some competitive driving with Lewis. If we look at the history we could easily say any championship in the past has been flattered by a car - nobody remember when the mercs were a second a lap faster at the start the hybrid era?

I can’t remember exactly Lao for lap Barcelona - but do remember Russell defending against Max for a few laps, before Max got ahead and drove off into the distance.

+33 seconds at the end of the race confirms that.

Defending for a couple of laps is another thing - but being able to do it over a full race is a significant other.

Hopefully we will have a faster merc next season so the cars are a bit more equal and we can see who is able to bring the food to the table.

[caddy]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/merc ... /10404080/

Mercedes believes a wind tunnel running deficit for Red Bull of more than 25 percent in 2023 could prove critical in helping it close up to the Formula 1 world champions.

[Spoutnik]

Russell is massively overated imo. It's like people having huge expectation for Sainz after his 2021 season when he beat Leclerc.
Russell was easily beaten in qualy by a 37 yo Hamilton who has lost raw pace on one lap (even if Hamilton had some bad luck : DRS not working in Hungary, the fugazi qualy in Brazil...).
In race pace, after Canada, Russell was never faster than Hamilton on race pace...

Next year will be as difficult as Sainz, this year, when he/and people will realize the reality of his race pace and race awareness.

[chrisc90]

I think anybody who doesn’t have a well set up car struggles. We have seen it this season. Look at Ferrari in Mexico. Mercedes in Baku. Who were the team crying in Baku that the car was unsafe? It’s not just Max ‘crying’.

I don’t think there was much need to be as ‘descriptive’ in your post, wasn’t going to bother replying due to a silly post and the fact it’s not even about the current season, but it seems the same can be said for any driver on the grid this year - not just max.