Russell: There is a real threat coming from Lewis and Ferrari.

      At the FIA press conference in Austria, George Russell recalled the events of the Barcelona-Catalonia Grand Prix, where he was unable to compete with Lewis Hamilton, the winner of that race, as the Ferrari car turned out to be faster than the Mercedes.

      George Russell: "Certainly, I believe this has been a kind of reality check for us, as Ferrari has had an excellent chassis since the start of the season. Their power unit was noticeably inferior to ours, but it seems that in Barcelona they unexpectedly made a significant leap and have now come very close to us in straight-line speed.

      Moreover, they continue to actively upgrade their car, which surprises us, as our team has only implemented one set of updates throughout the season. We plan to introduce some more innovations, but Ferrari and McLaren are doing this every couple of races. So we need to keep working hard, you know? I think every team that introduces technical innovations immediately makes a noticeable step forward...

      If competitors can afford to actively upgrade their technology while staying within the budget cap, then they probably have a different approach. This means they are compromising, saving on something else, but spending more on chassis updates.

      However, our team is still leading the championship, and this weekend we will have the opportunity to see if Ferrari can maintain their good form or if their success in Barcelona was a one-off.

      But I’m glad that Lewis has returned to his previous level – I think this is a great example of how challenging Formula 1 is. Because the cars are very technically complex, as are the power units; finding the right approach to the tires is also not easy. You need to ensure that all factors come together, and if even one thing doesn’t work out, you won’t be able to achieve the maximum possible results.

      At the same time, there were people who last year or even in 2024, when Lewis and I were teammates, were quick to write him off. Some doubted, thinking he was no longer at the right age (to win races) – in general, there was a lot said about him.

      But now he has successfully disproven all of that over the last four or five races. This only proves that it’s simply impossible to forget how to drive a racing car so quickly. To achieve success, you need to be in excellent shape, the team must work clearly and cohesively, the car needs to be properly set up, and you also need to understand how to achieve optimal tire performance.

      And when all these factors come together, you just fly around the track. That’s what’s happening with Lewis right now. Of course, there is a real threat coming from him and Ferrari. My teammate, Kimi Antonelli, is still confidently leading the individual standings and performing incredibly well and consistently, but it seems that Ferrari is catching up to us...

      However, nothing makes me nervous – to be honest, all of this only contributes to my fighting spirit. After all, the more competitors you have that you are battling on equal terms, the more interesting it is."