‘I know my time will come’ – Russell confident he can be in a title fight as he becomes Mercedes’ senior driver

George Russell has voiced his confidence that he can get himself into the fight for a World Championship, with the Briton declaring that “the results speak for themselves” after ending the 2024 campaign ahead of former team mate Lewis Hamilton.

Russell is preparing to enter into his seventh season in Formula 1 and his fourth as a Mercedes driver, in what will be the start of a new era for the Silver Arrows following Hamilton’s departure to Ferrari.

In their three years as team mates at Mercedes, Russell finished the season with a higher championship position than Hamilton on two occasions, while in 2024 he became the first driver to beat Hamilton in the intra-team Qualifying head-to-head on 19-5.

All of this has further added to the 27-year-old’s belief in himself as he becomes the senior driver at the team in 2025, with rookie Kimi Antonelli joining on the other side of the garage.

“I know my time will come,” Russell explained in an interview with BBC Sport. “And I’ve just got to ensure that I keep on performing. And whether it’s this year or next year, it’ll come.

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - OCTOBER 27: George Russell of Great Britain driving the (63) Mercedes AMG — Russell outscored Hamilton during their final season as team mates at Mercedes in 2024

“And if I keep delivering those results, as I did over these last three years against the best driver of all time, I believe I will get myself in the fight and hopefully a World Championship to my name.”

Reflecting further on how he performed against seven-time champion Hamilton, Russell continued: “The results speak for themselves. And I don’t have anything I need to prove or show. I am proud of the results I’ve achieved going up against somebody like Lewis.

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“At the end of 2021, statistically and in terms of perception, Lewis was the greatest of all time. And I’ve had three years against the greatest of all time, and I finished ahead of him two out of the three years I had as team mates. And finished ahead more times in ‘quali’ and more times in the race.

“If this was a different time or a different era, if you finish ahead of Lewis Hamilton, you’re a World Champion.”

Russell believes that Hamilton’s move to the Scuderia – in terms of the attention it has attracted, being one of the most high-profile driver switches in history – «has been good for everyone».

BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN - FEBRUARY 26: George Russell of Great Britain and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team — Russell is expecting an «interesting new dynamic» as rookie Antonelli joins Mercedes for 2025

The Briton added of how it affects Mercedes as a team: “This is turning a page. It’s a new chapter. And I don’t suddenly feel any additional responsibility.”

Part of that “new chapter” will see Antonelli make the step up following his rapid rise through the motorsport ranks, a change that Russell admits will create a different dynamic at the squad.

“He’s a great kid,» said Russell. «He’s very young, but he’s a really nice guy. Super-fast, of course.

«Being thrown in at the deep end, which is going to be a big challenge. But in terms of raw speed, I don’t think you can question it. And there’s going to be an interesting new dynamic.»