Russell: My time will come

Russell now is the most experienced driver within the Mercedes lineup after Lewis Hamilton jumped ship to Ferrari at the end of the 2024 F1 season as the eight-time F1 constructors' championship opted for youth, replacing him with Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

"This is turning a page. It's a new chapter," Russell said of the new era at Mercedes following Hamilton's exit. "And I don't suddenly feel any additional responsibility."

As for his new teammate, the Briton added: "He's a great kid. He's very young, but he's a really nice guy. Super-fast, of course.

"Being thrown in at the deep end, which is going to be a big challenge. But in terms of raw speed, I don't think you can question it. And there's going to be an interesting new dynamic," he added.

Russell has been exceptional in his time alongside Hamilton, beating him in qualifying in 2024, and now will no longer have to operate in the shadow of the greatest driver in F1.

"I know my time will come," Russell stated. "And I've just got to ensure that I keep on performing. And whether it's this year or next year, it'll come.

"And if I keep delivering those results, as I did over these last three years against the best driver of all time, I believe I will get myself in the fight and hopefully a World Championship to my name.

"The results speak for themselves," the three-time Grand Prix winner went on. "And I don't have anything I need to prove or show. I am proud of the results I've achieved going up against somebody like Lewis.

"At the end of 2021, statistically and in terms of perception, Lewis was the greatest of all time. And I've had three years against the greatest of all time, and I finished ahead of him two out of the three years I had as teammates. And finished ahead more times in 'quali' and more times in the race.

"If this was a different time or a different era, if you finish ahead of Lewis Hamilton, you're a World Champion," Russell mused.

Russell seemed upbeat after Mercedes' showing in pre-season testing in Bahrain, as Mercedes seem on par with Ferrari while McLaren are a step ahead with Red Bull being the big unknown.

The 2025 F1 season starts in Melbourne on March 14-16.