Russell downplays his status as a title contender.
"McLaren is simply too dominant at the moment."
George Russell does not believe he will secure the world championship in 2025.
This experienced Mercedes driver is part of one of the top teams this year and has been a standout performer, only missing the podium at Suzuka so far. In fact, he is just 6 points behind reigning champion Max Verstappen in the drivers’ standings, more than doubling the points of impressive rookie teammate Kimi Antonelli, and is only 14 points off the championship lead.
Rumors suggest he is on his way to a lucrative two or three-year contract extension with Mercedes, having received high praise from team principal Toto Wolff.
Nonetheless, the 27-year-old Russell does not view himself as a genuine title contender.
"I wish I could say that, but honestly, I don’t think we are," the Briton remarked. "McLaren is just too dominant right now."
He believes that in the hot and high-traction conditions in Bahrain, McLaren was at its "peak performance." "What we witnessed in China and Suzuka was probably their worst-case scenario, and they still managed to secure one victory from those two races.
"In Bahrain, we capitalized to finish P2, and we did the same in Melbourne to take P3," Russell continued, "but I don’t anticipate this level of performance will last for many races ahead. But who knows?"
Russell insisted he is accustomed to being the underdog.
"For the past three years alongside Lewis (Hamilton), neither of our names was ever brought up as title contenders," he stated. "This year, our season has started off fantastically. I don’t think we could have performed better than we have.
"However, we are also aware that the McLarens are incredibly strong. It will be a significant challenge for anyone to compete against them."
Despite that, the three-time grand prix winner expressed his satisfaction with being a Formula 1 driver.
"As a driver, my dream has already been realized," Russell stated. "The truth is that if we want to contend for the championship this year, we need to improve.
"But I’m not seeking external validation. I just want to compete every weekend, perform well, and do my job."
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