RUSS AND THEM

PRE-SEASON testing in Formula One is always an enigma.

-  BY DANIEL MOXON

Most paddock people - and the bookies fancied Mercedes and George Russell heading into this new season, but nobody knew for sure who would come to the fore in Fl's new era.

We do now.

The jig was up in qualifying - Toto Wolff's relaxed and slightly smug look told us all we needed to know without even looking at the timesheets.

Mercedes are back. And in Russell, they have the right man behind the wheel to propel them right back on to their perch.

Having frustratingly joined Mercedes in 2022, just as their eight-year run of dominance came to an end, he has had to wait patiently for a shot at title glory.

Russell will surely get one this year, after a pole lap that blew away the competition before a largely serene Sunday drive to victory - once he had dispatched the Ferraris.

Because even though Mercedes are the clear class of the field in 2026, Ferrari look like, for once, they may not flatter to deceive again this year.