F1 News: George Russell Confident For Successful 2023 – “Knowing The Potential That We Have”
George Russell is hopeful that the 2023 Mercedes W14 car will be able to propel the team back into title contention. Last season, Mercedes struggled in the Championship battle, with an unpredictable car that was unable to consistently fight for victories. Although the team did make progress towards the end of the year and reduced the gap to Red Bull and Ferrari, there is still work to be done during the winter break.
The 2023 season gives Mercedes the opportunity to make up for their slow start to the latest set of regulations and Russell has proven that the team has two highly capable drivers. Russell exceeded expectations throughout the year, displaying impressive levels of consistency. However, the 24-year-old is not satisfied with a fourth-place finish in the standings and is eager to see what progress Mercedes have made. Russell has commented:
“With the struggles at the start of the year, the car being off the pace and then coming through towards the end of the season, it has been really exciting to see that progress – especially heading into 2023.
“Knowing the potential that we have within this team makes me excited for 2023. It is no secret how fantastic the operation is in Brackles and Brixworth and what the whole team is capable of. Obviously, after a setback such as 2022, it’s really exciting knowing that we have the possibility to come back through and fight again in 2023.”
Mercedes have a reputation for efficiency and innovation, and it would not be a surprise to see them at the front of the field in 2023. They will also have more wind tunnel time than Red Bull and Ferrari. However, as last season demonstrated, mastering new regulations is a challenging task and making the necessary changes may not always be possible overnight.
