Mercedes has built an F1 MONSTER and George Russell cannot hide it

Mercedes

Mercedes has built an F1 MONSTER and George Russell cannot hide it

George Russell couldn't contain his excitement

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Wednesday 28 January 2026 09:57 Updated: 10:16

If I was going to share my deepest darkest secrets with anyone on the F1 grid, it wouldn't be George Russell.

Most F1 teams and drivers will want to keep their current pace and performance under wraps. After all, we've had just two days of testing and still have well over a month until lights out at the Australian Grand Prix.

But, you can tell George Russell is siting on some pretty spicy information. You can tell because, when he delivered an interview in Barcelona after his first day on track, he did so with an irrepressible smile on his face that said 'oh, we are so winning the championship this year.'

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Okay, so he didn't say those words exactly, but in his interview he did betray a certain confidence that Mercedes will be good.

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Russell: 'I'm here to win'

Following his first outing at the Barcelona shakedown on Monday, Russell said: "I think we’re just all excited to get to Melbourne. Of course, days like today are needed, testing in Bahrain is really important next up as well.

"But it’s only come Melbourne quali and the race, where we get a real true indication of who’s on top. I’m here to compete and I’m here to win, and that’s what I’m motivated for."

Sure, all drivers on the grid are technically 'there to win', but Mercedes have a reason to be confident more than most.

Long tipped to master the new engine regulations, the team are currently at the centre of a loophole debate, all to do with the compression ratio which they have managed to increase while the power unit is hot.

In last week's meeting, the FIA deemed their engine to be legal at present, and come Melbourne, we will see if claims of a 0.3 second advantage are really true. Judging by Russell's smile, it very well could be.

F1 Mercedes George Russell pre-season testing Barcelona