George Russell is excited to race with his new Mercedes teammate, Kimi Antonelli, for the 2025 season. Speaking at the team’s W16 launch, Britton expressed his enthusiasm for coaching Italian rookies as he settled into Formula 1 and Mercedes environments.
Considered a generational talent, Antonelli was promoted to Formula 1 in place of Lewis Hamilton after 2025, rapidly moving Mercedes’ junior ranks from Formula Regional to Formula 2. Russell is currently under the belt for three seasons with the Blackley-based team, but expectations are high for Antonelli.
Looking back at the upcoming season, Russell highlighted the team’s new energy in the post-Hamilton era.
Speaking in a team statement at the launch of the car, George Russell said:
“It’s exciting to have a new teammate this year. He’s incredibly fast and I think we’ll create a great partnership. Naturally, there’s a lot to learn in his first season. But I look forward to helping him do it and working with him to help his team move forward.”
He added:
“I feel that last year was my strongest in Formula 1. This next season will be my seventh in sports and fourth on the Works Mercedes team. I work hard to improve year-over-year. As a team, we are very motivated by the improvements last season. There is a lot of energy inside the Brackley and Brixworth factories, so I want to take it back to the truck.”
George Russell believes that a shakedown wrap should be sufficient to determine Mercedes’ competitiveness
George Russell believes the first five laps of the Mercedes W16 are a strong indication of whether the 2025 season will be a competitive season for the team. Speaking at the car launch, Britt explained that shakedown laps were historically a reliable measure of car possibilities from the start.
Looking back at past seasons, Russell said early feedback from pre-season runs often sets the tone for the year. The 27-year-old remains optimistic about Mercedes’ improvements, but he admitted that a real test comes when the car hits the truck. With stable regulations and increasing competition in 2025, Russell wants to see how the W16 stacks up with its rivals.
George Russell speaks to Select OnSite media, including Motorsport Week at the F175 launch in London.
“I think you know if it’s a good season within five laps, and we know that we won’t be fighting for the championship on the first five laps of the past few years. Or at least I knew I wouldn’t compete at the beginning of the season. So, like I said, I feel like I was more robust this season, but now all the teams are very much It’s competitive, and everyone knows the limits they’ve had over the past three years.”
Mercedes has not been a title candidate since the introduction of ground effectiveness regulations in 2022. We struggle to find consistent performance compared to the dominant era of 2014-2021. I finished the unfortunate fourth.
With the competition expected to be even tighter in 2025, all eyes are in the way that Silver Arrows try to regain their winning form. Beyond technical challenges, the team is facing a major transition with Lewis Hamilton set out for Ferrari and the integration of rookie Kimmi Antoneri alongside George Russell. Managing the development of the W16 and coaching young drivers is an important hurdle for Mercedes as they aim to return to the front of the grid.
Edited by Neelabhra Roy
