Is George Russell ready to be Formula 1 World Champion?

Russell has had the measure of Hamilton during the days when they shared the Mercedes garage as the seven-time F1 Champion struggled with ground effect cars.

Despite Red Bull dominating the ground effect era early on and then that dominance shifting to McLaren, Russell was able to snatch the odd win every now and then.

But with the regulation reset and Mercedes being tipped as favorites, the young Briton is well positioned to fight for his maiden title.

Mercedes' trick with the engine compression might mean they have a decent advantage, which in turn means the Championship will be in the bag by the time the FIA changes apply in August.

Herbert, a retired F1 driver and three-time GP winner, believes Russell has what it takes personally to lead Mercedes to Title glory. The renaissance the team sorely needs as memories of the Lewis Hamilton glory years fade.

He said: "I still feel George Russell has all the elements that he needs to be able to carry a team towards a World Championship. I think he's developed very well since he first came into Formula 1. When I first met him in Formula 2, there was that difference; there was that aura about George.

"He does have the consistency during the season to be able to get the best out of the car. Every World Champion that we've had, it's all been about being the most consistent during the season. George is able to do that; it is not an issue for him," he explained.

If the Mercedes W17 turns out to be a winner, Russell will first have to overcome the challenge from teammate Kimi Antonelli, who has shown immense talent and now has one F1 season under his belt.

But Herbert believes the young Italian is yet to possess the consistency his teammate has and that is required to challenge for the F1 Title.

He said: "That's the part where Kimi Antonelli has got to work on to have that consistency because he showed some brilliant speed last year and was able to be better than George, but it was inconsistent, and that's the element he's got to try and overcome."

And while Antonelli has a solid backing from Toto Wolff, Herbert believes Russell is managing that intra-team dynamic well.

"He's got that support mechanism there from within the team, especially with Toto's backing," he said of Antonelli. "George probably felt that last season. But he responded in a very positive way.

"George is probably aware that this is his opportunity to get that first world championship. Mentally he has the strength to be able to do that, and I don't see that changing during this year.

"But it depends whether Mercedes have come up with the ace," the 61-year-old added. "I would be quite shocked if they haven't, as they always do as we enter a new era.

"Their progress with the compression and power unit is typical Mercedes—always thinking outside the box. They have been very smart," he maintained.

And while it remains to be seen how the vote on the engine compression goes, Russell will have another threat to deal with, that is, his on-track nemesis, Max Verstappen, who, despite hating the new cars, looks to be in a good position with the RB22.

Herbert is relishing the prospect of a Title battle between Verstappen and Russell. He said: "A head-to-head race for the championship between George Russell and Max Verstappen would certainly be terrific.

"Red Bull are going to be a threat, and it will be brilliant to see that once again with Max being Max and pushing the boundaries on and off the track. But it would also be great to see George, because George has stood up to Max over the last couple of years. That is a really important mental part of being a Formula 1 driver.

"It's about trying to outfox your fellow drivers," Herbert claimed. "And it's almost trying to intimidate the other drivers. It's what Max has done so well; it's what Lewis did, what Senna did, what Mansell did. You were aware that they were somewhere around you. They were either in front or they were in your mirror, but you weren't actually quite sure where they were!

"You knew that they were going to be a massive threat if they were coming through the pack after, say, a problem in qualifying. That's what George and Max have got, and I think that, to see that coming together, I think it would be a lot of fireworks.

"From a driver's perspective, they will thoroughly enjoy pushing each other to the very edge. Formula 1 drivers push those boundaries on each other. And they push those boundaries within the rules that are there as well with track limits and whatever else it may be.

"Sometimes they go over the top, but that's what we want to see. It should be a very close one," Herbert concluded. (Source: Snabbare)