2021 AMG Mercedes F1 Team

[Zynerji]

If Russell didn't just sit down in Lewis' car last year, and almost take pole/win, I'd be inclined to agree.

The fact that he was SO FAST immediately in an unfamiliar car tells me that with he and Hamilton both learning the new 2022 Merc together will be just fine.

It suggests that either Russell is a very adaptable driver, what he wants from the car coincides with what Hamilton wants or the Mercedes is one of the easier cars on the grid to jump into. It does indicate that Russell won’t have any particular problems adapting his driving to Mercedes design philosophy, new cars next year mean they can make him comfortable also.

It suggests that Russell was already very familiar with how to drive the Mercedes from previous testing.

OK. Id also point out how Ricciardo is still uncomfortable in the car past the half season mark.

Its possible that the Merc is sooooo refined, however, that almost any F1 driver that understands tyre management can be a serious threat at the front.

[El Scorchio]

It suggests that either Russell is a very adaptable driver, what he wants from the car coincides with what Hamilton wants or the Mercedes is one of the easier cars on the grid to jump into. It does indicate that Russell won’t have any particular problems adapting his driving to Mercedes design philosophy, new cars next year mean they can make him comfortable also.

It suggests that Russell was already very familiar with how to drive the Mercedes from previous testing.

OK. Id also point out how Ricciardo is still uncomfortable in the car past the half season mark.

Its possible that the Merc is sooooo refined, however, that almost any F1 driver that understands tyre management can be a serious threat at the front.

Ah, so you're coming at the tired old 'any clown in a crash helmet can win in a Mercedes' trope, but just from a slightly different angle.

Russell was the team's test driver. He did hundreds of laps in that car before the Sakir GP. Of course he was used to it.

[ringo]

Exactly. Ricciardo was not driving Mclaren simulators and doing young driver tests in them.
It's teo very different situations.

The car has pedals and a steering wheel. Russel has been familiar with both. No suprises there.Then he has driven the cars in testing to know how they feel and he has done sim work.
It's not a major advantage, but its something to at least avoid being taken by surprise driving the W cars.
What is also of note was the track layout in bahrain. It's mostly squeezing the loud pedal as Brundle puts it. So intimate connection with how the car behaves was not really required to get lap time out of it.
Anyhow this is not to say Russel is average. To qualify so closr to Bottas shows he is the real deal when it comes to Q3 pace.
Race pace i have no clue. I think adrenalin is on a different level when u put a driver in a front running car. He drove like a bat out of hell off the line in that race and took valteri by surpise.

[El Scorchio]

Exactly. Ricciardo was not driving Mclaren simulators and doing young driver tests in them.
It's teo very different situations.

The car has pedals and a steering wheel. Russel has been familiar with both. No suprises there.Then he has driven the cars in testing to know how they feel and he has done sim work.
It's not a major advantage, but its something to at least avoid being taken by surprise driving the W cars.
What is also of note was the track layout in bahrain. It's mostly squeezing the loud pedal as Brundle puts it. So intimate connection with how the car behaves was not really required to get lap time out of it.
Anyhow this is not to say Russel is average. To qualify so closr to Bottas shows he is the real deal when it comes to Q3 pace.
Race pace i have no clue. I think adrenalin is on a different level when u put a driver in a front running car. He drove like a bat out of hell off the line in that race and took valteri by surpise.

Very good point too. That circuit is basically three long straights and a 'wiggly bit'. Would probably be a bit of a different story if it were Suzuka or somewhere like that. At the end of the day as well, Russell is a fabulous talent. I'll stick my neck out and say he's probably better than Ricciardo, and he's one of the top few guys on the grid. You take note when someone like Fernando Alonso puts that kind of praise on someone and ordains them a future champ.

[dans79]

Exactly. Ricciardo was not driving Mclaren simulators and doing young driver tests in them.
It's teo very different situations.

The car has pedals and a steering wheel. Russel has been familiar with both. No suprises there.Then he has driven the cars in testing to know how they feel and he has done sim work.
It's not a major advantage, but its something to at least avoid being taken by surprise driving the W cars.
What is also of note was the track layout in bahrain. It's mostly squeezing the loud pedal as Brundle puts it. So intimate connection with how the car behaves was not really required to get lap time out of it.
Anyhow this is not to say Russel is average. To qualify so closr to Bottas shows he is the real deal when it comes to Q3 pace.
Race pace i have no clue. I think adrenalin is on a different level when u put a driver in a front running car. He drove like a bat out of hell off the line in that race and took valteri by surpise.

Very good point too. That circuit is basically three long straights and a 'wiggly bit'. Would probably be a bit of a different story if it were Suzuka or somewhere like that. At the end of the day as well, Russell is a fabulous talent. I'll stick my neck out and say he's probably better than Ricciardo, and he's one of the top few guys on the grid. You take note when someone like Fernando Alonso puts that kind of praise on someone and ordains them a future champ.

Yep, and people gave me shi* last year, because I wasn't super impressed with how well Russell did. The shakir out circuit is probably the easiest layout any F1 driver has faced in 30 or 40 years (maybe ever).

Not to mention Russell is a Merc test driver, has driven a Merc powered car his entire career, and spent a significant period of time dealing with the williams basket case.


What will be more interesting to see next year, is how he does on more challenging circuits, and how well he does at setting up his car for the race. I personally question how good he will be on Sundays, not Saturdays!

[selvam_e2002]

never bind. Hamilton will crush him like how Alonso did for his team mates. So Hamilton will be safe. Hamilton and Alonso are same in skill wise. So, I am 100% confident Hamilton dominate Russel and Russel will be next wing man.

[selvam_e2002]

As rules are Changing next year, now we can see how the current F1 drivers adopting quickly. I believe Hamilton will learn quickly compared to Russel.

[Unf]

never bind. Hamilton will crush him like how Alonso did for his team mates. So Hamilton will be safe. Hamilton and Alonso are same in skill wise. So, I am 100% confident Hamilton dominate Russel and Russel will be next wing man.

I bet you are trolling but if no - you need to remember and understand that Russell is British and he will have the same British media behind his back like Hamilton had and has. It is changing everything.

[Zynerji]

As rules are Changing next year, now we can see how the current F1 drivers adopting quickly. I believe Hamilton will learn quickly compared to Russel.

Id take the "kid" in any adaptation competition. The quickness that the 18-24 year-olds that I hire pick up, and even improve processes, is astounding. I simply don't find that when I deal with embedded and experienced people.

I remember Webber called the young Vettel a "computer" in an interview, due to his ability to adapt to the nonsensical philosophy of driving necessary for the cold blown diffusor. I feel drivers like Verstappen, LeClerc, Russell, Norris, Stroll and Ocon are all going to get on top of 2022 quicker than their older, more experienced, teammates.

[Just_a_fan]

never bind. Hamilton will crush him like how Alonso did for his team mates. So Hamilton will be safe. Hamilton and Alonso are same in skill wise. So, I am 100% confident Hamilton dominate Russel and Russel will be next wing man.

I bet you are trolling but if no - you need to remember and understand that Russell is British and he will have the same British media behind his back like Hamilton had and has. It is changing everything.

What has the British media got to do with anything?

Both have been the subject of media scrutiny - Hamilton has been in the media spotlight for 14 years, Russell for a much shorter period, obviously. Even if Russell is treated more kindly than Hamilton, the old dog isn't likely to be too worried by it. More likely is that the young gun will let it go to his head and start to believe the hype. That's where the problems usually come from. Indeed, Hamilton got a bit ahead of himself in his early years partly, I think, because he started to believe his own news stories and wasn't put straight by those around him. Russell needs to be careful that he doesn't start to believe the media stories. Keep his head down and just drive the car.

[dans79]

As rules are Changing next year, now we can see how the current F1 drivers adopting quickly. I believe Hamilton will learn quickly compared to Russel.

Id take the "kid" in any adaptation competition. The quickness that the 18-24 year-olds that I hire pick up, and even improve processes, is astounding. I simply don't find that when I deal with embedded and experienced people.

That might be specific to your industry then, because in my industry its the exact opposite. The young ones are still stuck in the "this is how you do it because it's what I learned in college" mode. In my industry what you learn in college is overly simplistic and not relevant to real world problems. The older people who have been working in the real world longer are much more adaptable/flexible.

[the EDGE]

never bind. Hamilton will crush him like how Alonso did for his team mates. So Hamilton will be safe. Hamilton and Alonso are same in skill wise. So, I am 100% confident Hamilton dominate Russel and Russel will be next wing man.

I bet you are trolling but if no - you need to remember and understand that Russell is British and he will have the same British media behind his back like Hamilton had and has. It is changing everything.

Other countries don’t have their own media?

[Mr.S]

Russel will not be Hamilton's dog. He won't wash Lewis's clothes or clean the shi* of Lewis's dog. You can see why Hamilton said Bottas is his best team-mate despite having Alonso, Button or Rosberg (all of whom beat him or tied with him).

So we will have a great fight atleast come which may. And Bottas doesn't have to challenge beyond his level with an all-time great & will have some dignity & respect @ Alfa ! Russel hopefully can gets wins & possibly a championship soon.

If English guys can't understand the monstrous British media with Sky, Dailyfail/mail, Sun etc which are basically hit-jobs rather than a decent newspaper, then they are either stupid or delusional. I would be happy to cheer Mercedes for George Russel - He deserves to win races now !

[Ryar]

As rules are Changing next year, now we can see how the current F1 drivers adopting quickly. I believe Hamilton will learn quickly compared to Russel.

Id take the "kid" in any adaptation competition. The quickness that the 18-24 year-olds that I hire pick up, and even improve processes, is astounding. I simply don't find that when I deal with embedded and experienced people.

That might be specific to your industry then, because in my industry its the exact opposite. The young ones are still stuck in the "this is how you do it because it's what I learned in college" mode. In my industry what you learn in college is overly simplistic and not relevant to real world problems. The older people who have been working in the real world longer are much more adaptable/flexible.

Simple fact of elite sporting competition is, young talent always outshines old guards. Motorsport is even more demanding on the human reflexes that start waning in 30s and abundantly powerful in youth. No escaping that fact. Senna, Schumacher, Lewis, Seb, Max, Leclerc, Lando have all proved it. A driver, no matter how great the career has been, at 37 Vs a young, proven talent at 24, is no match. F1 is not a 8 to 5 desk job.

[nzjrs]

Other countries don’t have their own media?

F1 offers the extremely partisan and biased Sky (UK) feed to the world audience on its streaming service.