Mercedes launch 2025 car: George Russell says W16 E ‘a good step forward’
After Hamilton moved to Ferrari, Russell took over as team leader with new teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli, an 18-year-old Italian, considered one of the greatest young talents in the sport, said: “The winter preparations are very intense. It’s really fun. Trying to focus on as much as possible. Things, hopefully avoid some bad surprises to arrive in Melbourne.”
“Even if the roster has remained the same this year, going into this season, it’s my fourth place at Mercedes and seventh in F1,” Russell said.
“Last year was probably the strongest I’ve ever seen, and I feel like I’m getting stronger year-on-year.
“Same time I joined, the team gave me support and now Kimi is a super fast driver, super motivated. Naturally, there are a lot to learn, but I believe it will be a good season.”
Mercedes has won eight consecutive builder titles since 2014-21, but it has fallen from the front since the introduction of new regulations in 2022, winning just five Grand Prixes in three years.
“We have been focusing on solving problems over the past few years and we are not expecting the future problems it will cause,” Russell said.
“You solve one thing and it creates a new problem, and we are more forward-looking than in the past.
“When you change the characteristics of the car, if you make the front stronger, it will take it away from the rear, and if you go too far, it will be as much as the opposite direction.
“It’s thorough, saying, ‘These are fundamental changes we’re going to do. We think that’s going to do X, and that’s a problem in these games, and if so, how will we get around it?'”
Wolf said Antonley “has all the necessary talents to achieve great things at the top of the sport, but it’s a rookie season that inevitably goes ups and downs. But we look forward to the journey and help him develop his courses over the past year.”
