George Russell: I could have won two F1 titles if I arrived sooner at Mercedes

George Russell believes he would be a two-time Formula 1 world champion had he raced for Mercedes during the previous rules cycle.

Russell graduated to F1 in 2019 after winning back-to-back titles in Formula 2 and Formula 3 with ART.

He spent three years learning the ropes at then-F1 minnow Williams before finally getting a plum seat at Mercedes, the team that had backed him since his early years in junior racing.

However, the Briton’s step up to Mercedes in 2022 coincided with a slump in the its performance, as it failed to exploit the new ground-effect regulations in the same way as Red Bull or McLaren.

Russell has still performed brilliantly with Silver Arrows, scoring three wins and outsourcing Lewis Hamilton in two of the three years they spent together as teammates.

But the 27-year-old feels he could have enjoyed a lot more success in F1 if he was part of Mercedes’ dominant era in late 2010s and early 2020s.

“Being teammates with a seven-time world champion for three years is not straightforward,” Russell told the Athletic.

“There was once a time that if you finished ahead of Lewis Hamilton in a championship or in a race, you’d win the race. Or, if you’d finish ahead of the championship, you’d win the championship.

“If my time was five years prior, you could argue I’d have two championships in my name.”

Hamilton left Mercedes with a year left on his contract to join Ferrari in 2025, making Russell the official leader of the Brackley-based team.

Russell has been joined by 18-year-old rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, creating a fascinating dynamic within Mercedes.

But the Briton said having a new teammate in the garage has had no impact on his approach this year.

“I’m just going about my business, as I have been the last couple of years,” Russell said.

“I’m working with the same group of engineers, the same group of mechanics.

“Obviously, Lewis was such a large presence that you know that he’s not around. But on the day-to-day running of things, it is no different.

“I’m sat at my desk in front of my computer. I do my warm-up in my room, I jump in my race car, I put my helmet on. I want to control my own destiny first and foremost.”