Mercedes arrived in Austin having won every pole since the hybrid turbo era began in 2014, but they appeared to have lost their edge early.
Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton engaged in one of Formula One's most heated rivalries, which ended when Rosberg retired shortly after winning the title in 2016.
Valtteri Bottas registered his first win of the 2021 Formula 1 season at the Turkish GP, yet he isn't the main talking point after the weekend.
Lewis Hamilton only managed to finish fifth at the Turkish Grand Prix, thanks in no small part to a confused pit stop strategy from Mercedes.
Following a surprise Q1 elimination during a disappointing qualifying session in Turkey, the Australian was set to start only 15th.
Lewis Hamilton was actually fastest on the day and won qualifying, but he will start from 11th due to a 10-place grid penalty.
Hamilton's Mercedes W12 has a new internal combustion engine (ICE) and exhaust, but he had already used up his allotted number of new ICEs.
Russell’s promotion to Mercedes, where he will replace the Alfa Romeo-bound Valtteri Bottas, is a huge step forward.
The 2020 Turkish GP saw Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton clinch a record-equalling seventh world driver's championship in Formula 1.
Russell has recently scored points in four of the last five Grand Prix, propelling him to 15th in the drivers' standings this year.