Just as George Russell was promoted to Mercedes, the German team begin to struggle after winning the constructors' championship every year from 2014 until 2021. However, after some difficult years, the team have now managed to win Grands Prix on merit in this current season, and the Briton believes Mercedes found a way out, and now enjoys driving the W15.
Russell had to be patient, but for now, it seems like his team are on the right path with their car's development. "For the last two years, we had a car that was extremely erratic. When we went to the limit in the corners, the rear would start sliding on corner entry. Regardless of the tuning of the car, we could not solve this problem. When we first tested the current car in Bahrain, we were confronted with the opposite driving behaviour."
He added: "But we knew we could solve this problem much easier and faster. That was the turning point for us. That's why the upgrades worked. Each change put the car in a better window. The old problem was practically in the DNA of the chassis and therefore could not be eliminated," said the 26-year-old Briton.
Russell has plans to stay in F1 for a long time
After winning the GP3 and Formula 2 titles in back-to-back seasons and spending time at Williams, Russell does not look at the last two years, when Mercedes struggled more, as 'lost time' in terms of his career. The Briton indeed wants to remain in the competition for some time. "The last two years have flown by and I feel I still have 15 to 20 years ahead of me. That's why I don't see it as lost time. As a driver, you always want a perfect car. You learn that this is not possible."
"If you are successful for a long time, people think it will last forever. That is a misconception. When Vettel became world champion four times in a row, people couldn't imagine anyone else winning. It was the same with Lewis and now maybe also with Max," said Russell, who also understands that now, four teams are constantly fighting close at the front to win each Grand Prix in the competition.
"If the season had started after the summer break, nobody would be able to say who would be world champion. This in the nature of this sport," the two-time Grand Prix winner concluded.
