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George Russell is determined to succeed with Mercedes, but some of his recent performances have sparked questions about whether he struggles under pressure.
George Russell of Great Britain driving the (63) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team W15 leads Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 and the rest of the field at the start during the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on June 09, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)After achieving Mercedes’ first Grand Prix podium finish of the F1 2024 season, Russell expressed disappointment, admitting he felt he had “let the team down a bit” due to his on-track errors.
The story so far for Russell
Since Russell joined Mercedes, the team has faced challenges, notably coinciding with the introduction of F1’s new ground-effect rules in 2022.
Mercedes, once dominant with eight consecutive Constructors’ titles from 2014, has secured only one win over the past two-and-a-half years.
Speaking on the Sky F1 podcast, Damon Hill sympathised with Russell for joining Mercedes during a downturn. Hill recalled Russell’s impressive debut at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, standing in for Lewis Hamilton, which set high expectations for his future.
Hill remarked: “We sit here talking about him, and it’s almost like a competition to do a self-portrait. There’s the driver’s public persona and professionalism, but ultimately, their performance on the track reveals the truth. When the flag drops, the BS stops.”
He continued, highlighting Russell’s promising start: “Don’t forget [Russell] was the Ollie Bearman of his [generation] a few years ago when he got his break in the Mercedes. He had a fantastic debut, everyone was going crazy over his performance.”
The struggles began
Hill acknowledged Mercedes’ struggles with new regulations and Russell’s challenge with a problematic car: “Unfortunately for them, Mercedes dropped the ball with the new regulation changes and he’s been slugging it out in a difficult car. But very rarely has he been massively overshadowed by Lewis – and now he seems to have got the upper hand.”
P3 in Canada ???
First pole and podium of the year. Gave it absolutely everything, one too many mistakes potentially cost us a shot for victory but very proud of the progress we’re making as a team, thank you all. ? Full focus on Barcelona ?? pic.twitter.com/cYCXBqbhEy
— George Russell (@GeorgeRussell63) June 9, 2024
Hill also noted the pressure Russell might be feeling: “It may be because he’s the guy staying and Lewis is off [to Ferrari]. Some very interesting comments from Lewis saying he wasn’t very happy with his performance over the weekend, admitting he’s not putting in his best for whatever reason. But George can do it.”
Reflecting on Russell’s recent performance, Hill suggested overtrying might be an issue: “Maybe he’s overtrying a bit. If Mercedes gets a bit more performance and starts to qualify regularly on the front row, then it will start coming to him a bit.”
As Mercedes works to regain its former glory, the focus remains on Russell to see if he can consistently deliver under pressure or if the weight of expectations will continue to impact his performance.
Feature Image Credit: @georgerussell63 on X