George Russell hits out at Mercedes W14 in 'worst season' claim

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Russell hits out at Mercedes W14 in 'worst season' claim

The Brit endured an inconsistent season with the Silver Arrows

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Tuesday 28 November 2023 18:57

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Mercedes driver George Russell outlined his frustration at 'one of the worst seasons' of his career after his rollercoaster year ended in Abu Dhabi.

The team endured a campaign littered with inconsistencies, with Red Bull-challenging pace one week giving way to midfield running the next.

Despite finishing second in the constructors' championship, the Silver Arrows managed significantly fewer points this year than in 2022, with Toto Wolff admitting that the car didn't 'deserve a win.'

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Indeed, the last victory that Mercedes managed was in 2022, when Russell stormed to victory ahead of his team-mate Lewis Hamilton at the Brazilian GP.

This season, Hamilton has cemented third in the drivers' championship despite rarely having the pace to challenge at the very front, while Russell took eighth.

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell endured an inconsistent season at Mercedes

George Russell finished on the podium at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

George Russell was the last Mercedes driver to win a Grand Prix, at the Brazilian GP in 2022

Mercedes 2024 focus

Speaking to Sky Sports at the season-ending Abu Dhabi GP, Russell reflected on what he believes to be a frustrating season.

"It's been probably one of the worst seasons of my career in terms of results," he said after qualifying at the Yas Marina Circuit. "It's been just a really scrappy, messy season and I don't think it's been through a lack of speed.

"We've had really strong pace in many, many races, just never achieved that result on a Sunday.

"I really don't know to be honest. There's a reason every single race, whether it's me crashing into a wall or the rain coming down in Zandvoort on the wrong lap or the engine breaking down in Melbourne.

"It's just tiny little things which you can say, easy to rectify that, but when it happens once or twice, you can put it down to bad luck. When it maybe happens on nine, ten, eleven occasions throughout the year, it's definitely not luck.

"Ultimately the car isn't quite enough, we need to keep on pushing and when the competition's so high, one small mistake and you drop a number of places."