George Russell shares his sincere opinion on having Kimi Antonelli as a teammate for the 2025 F1 season

George Russell is worked up to race alongside his new Mercedes teammate, Kimi Antonelli, within the 2025 season. Talking on the group’s W16 launch, the Briton expressed his enthusiasm about mentoring the Italian rookie as he settles into Formulation 1 and the Mercedes surroundings.

Antonelli, considered a generational expertise, was promoted to F1 instead of Lewis Hamilton for 2025 and past, swiftly progressing by means of Mercedes’ junior ranks from Formulation Regional to F2. Whereas Russell now has three seasons below his belt with the Brackley-based squad, expectations are excessive for Antonelli.

Reflecting on the upcoming season, Russell highlighted the group’s renewed vitality within the post-Hamilton period.

Talking in a group assertion on the automobile launch, George Russell stated:

“It is also thrilling having a brand new team-mate in Kimi this 12 months. He is extremely fast and I feel we’ll make an incredible partnership. Naturally, there’s a lot for him to be taught in his first season however I am wanting ahead to serving to him do this and dealing collectively to assist push the group ahead.”

He added:

“I really feel like final 12 months was my strongest in F1. This coming season will probably be my seventh within the sport, and fourth with the works Mercedes group, and I am working exhausting to enhance year-on-year. As a group, we’re extremely motivated to enhance on final season. There’s a nice vitality inside the factories at Brackley and Brixworth so I am wanting to take to the monitor.”

George Russell reckons shakedown laps ought to be adequate to find out Mercedes’ competitiveness

George Russell believes that the preliminary 5 laps within the Mercedes W16 will present a powerful indication of whether or not the 2025 season will probably be a aggressive one for the group. Talking on the automobile’s launch, the Brit defined that shakedown laps have traditionally been a dependable gauge of the automobile’s potential from the outset.

Reflecting on previous seasons, Russell famous that early suggestions from pre-season runs typically set the tone for the 12 months forward. Whereas the 27-year-old stays optimistic about Mercedes’ enhancements, he acknowledged that the true take a look at will come as soon as the automobile hits the monitor. With steady laws and elevated competitors anticipated in 2025, Russell is keen to see how the W16 stacks up in opposition to its rivals.

Talking to pick onsite media together with Motorsport week on the F175 launch in London, George Russell stated:

“I feel inside 5 laps when you’re in for an excellent season or not. And we’ve recognized inside the first 5 laps of the final couple of years that we wouldn’t be preventing for the championship. Or not less than we knew we wouldn’t be preventing initially of the season. So I really feel that, as I stated, it’s been way more strong this season, however all the groups are so aggressive now. And all people is aware of the constraints that they’ve had over these final three years.”

Mercedes has not been a title contender because the introduction of ground-effect laws in 2022, struggling to search out constant performances in comparison with their dominant period from 2014 to 2021. In 2024, their buyer group McLaren outperformed them, securing the Constructors’ Championship whereas Mercedes completed a disappointing fourth.

With competitors anticipated to be even tighter in 2025, all eyes will probably be on how the Silver Arrows try and reclaim their successful type. Past the technical challenges, the group faces a major transition with the departure of Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari and the mixing of rookie Kimi Antonelli alongside George Russell. Managing the event of their W16 and mentoring a younger driver will probably be key hurdles for Mercedes as they intention to return to the entrance of the grid.