Why George Russell ‘felt like a rookie’ in first F1 season with Mercedes

George Russell has admitted he felt “like a rookie” during his first F1 season with Mercedes as he experienced how a big team operates. 
George Russell (GBR) Mercedes AMG
George Russell (GBR) Mercedes AMG

After impressing during a three-year stint at Williams, Russell earned a Mercedes works’ drive alongside168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: Lewis Hamilton for F1 2022, replacing 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Valtteri Bottas

Despite Mercedes’ struggles for co﷽mpetitiveness at the start of F1’s new era of technical regulations, Russell enjoyed a🎐 superb debut campaign at the German manufacturer.

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The 24-year-old Briton claimed his maiden grand prix victory in Brazil on his way to finishing fourth in the 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:drivers' standings,🌃 tw𝔉o places and 35 points clear of Hamilton. 

Asked by mahbx.com what was the biggest thing he has learned in his first season with Mercedes, Russell responded: “In some regards, I almost feel like a bit of a rookie this season because the level at which this team wor♏ks – we’re talking about things that I’ve never even spoken about beཧfore in Formula 1.

“So, that’s taken me some time to understand – what the team’s processes are during a race weekend, how I can make the car faster in term🌠s of set-up, and that’s why I’ve felt a bit of a♔ rookie at the start of this season.” 

George Russell (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 and Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG
George Russell (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 and Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG

Russell also revealed he learned a “huge amount” from his seven-tim༒e world champion teammate Hamilton - both on and off the track. 

“For sure, being team-mates with Lewis is such an amazing position to be in because he’s obviously the greatest driver of all time and there’s a huge amount I’ve learned from him in the sense of… probably more off-track, to be honest, with how he conducts himself with the engineers and goes abouဣt his business,” he explained. 

"But equally, small detai𓆏ls on-track that have been really impressive for me to see. But, if you want to be a Formula 1 world champion, you’ve got to beat the best and you’ve got to beat everyone. And what a position I’m in to have Lewis as my benchmark.”

George Russell (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 W13. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 21, Brazilian Grand Prix, Sao Paulo, Brazil,
George Russell (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 W13. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 21, Brazilian Grand…

And Russell admitted it took him a while to ad💝just to competing at the front of the grid for the first time in his F1 career, having largely been restricted to racinﷺg at the rear of the field with Williams. 

“Going to that feeling of me almost being a rookie in some regards, you are racing a🌼t the front for the first time,” he explained. “It is a totally different sto🐭ry compared to when you are racing at the back. 

“How you approach Turn 1 is to🗹tally different. When you have a few cars ahead of you, rather than the concertina effect of 15 cars in front of you🐟. There’s a lot more dirty air when you are behind 15 cars, compared to when you are behind three cars. 

“I’ve spe🤡nt three years racing at the back, I’ve only got 20 races u🍎nder my belt racing at the front. You learn these little unique-ness of being there, the same way I learned what it was like being at the back.” 

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