Early favourite Russell ready to fight for Fl title

George Russell believes that he has been handed a car ready to win the world championship as Mercedes head into a new era for Formula One as the title favourites.

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Under the leadership of Toto Wolff, Mercedes won eight consecutive constructors' championships and seven drivers' titles between 2014 and 2021.

But, since Russell joined in 2022, they have struggled to keep pace with Red Bull and McLaren.

However, a major upheaval of the sport’s technical rulebook for the new season means a fresh start for all the teams on the grid.

Mercedes caught the eye in last week’s first test at the Catalunya circuit in Barcelona by boasting both impressive speed and reliability, with the bookmakers making Russell favourite for his first world title.

“I feel ready to fight for a world championship, and whether we have that tag as favourites above us or not, it doesn’t change my approach one single bit,” said the British driver at Mercedes’ digital launch on Feb 2.

“There are a lot of things we need to learn very quickly, but I feel I can take advantage of that and I feel confident in myself and in the team.”