George Russell will make his Mercedes debut in 2022. However, the young Brit is not only focusing on a short-term impact.
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Mercedes F1 team driver George Russell is focusing on the long-term gains at new team Mercedes for the 2022 Formula 1 season.
Russell will make his long-awaited Mercedes debut in 2022. However, the young Brit is not only focusing on a short-term impact.
He believes he’s improved the engineering side of his racing game during his stint at Williams. And he is keen to employ that to ensure Mercedes remains a successful team over the next few years.
“Yes, (it) is something I’ve definitely progressed a huge amount over the three years at Williams,” he told reporters at the end of the 2021 season.
“The simulator side of things is going to be very important to help work on the correlation and the development and trying to direct the team to where the car’s limitations are, and where it needs improving.
Already feeling like a home from home. Big month ahead but we’re ready for it. ? pic.twitter.com/ImdqQ86mcN
— George Russell (@GeorgeRussell63) February 7, 2022
“At the end of the day, I’m not an engineer, but the driver can have a massive impact and influence in the direction a team can take.
“That’s something I’ll be really focused on because as I said, I see this next chapter as a long journey together.
“Obviously, I want to win next year but it’s important to make sure we’ve got a car that is capable of winning over the next four years.”
Russell will be stepping into easily the most dominant F1 team of the past decade. And while a competitive car is always a boon, being right at the top brings pressures of its own.
That being said, there’s little doubt that Russell is ready. His qualifying performances at Williams – especially over the last two seasons – were better than they had any right to be.
He would consistently put the car in Q2 or better, despite it being one of the slowest cars on the grid. And last year he even notched up a few notable points finishes.
Russell also comfortably outshone Williams teammate Nicholas Latifi. What’s more, he’s proven himself to be a team player in the past as well.
But the young Brit also possesses the ruthless streak and the speed to be a success at the top. And nowhere was this more evident than in the 2020 Sakhir GP.
Russell stood in as a replacement for Lewis Hamilton, who contracted COVID-19. And he put in a mighty fine performance on both Saturday and Sunday.
Indeed, he was closing in on his first win in F1 before a mix-up in the Mercedes pit garage. While pitting, Russell was fitted with tyres allocated for Bottas.
The bungle meant he had to come back in again to pit; by the time he came out, his hopes of a win were dashed.
But he had shown without a doubt he belonged at the top. Now, it’s all about making the most of the chance to race in a top team.
