Shovlin: Confident, calm Russell steps up to Mercedes leader role

Friday, 04 April 2025 at 15:42

Mercedes continued with their quiet progress in the new Formula 1 season at the Japanese Grand Prix on Friday with George Russell among the pacesetters on the opening day at the Suzuka circuit, prompting Andrew Shovlin to reveal how the 27-year-old Briton has embraced the role as team leader.

Russell is P3 in the 2025 F1 drivers' standings after finishing P3 in Australia and China, while Italian rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli has backed up his teammate with a P4 and a P6. Even if Mercedes are clearly not yet matching the pace of the McLarens, the start has been encouraging after a few seasons of maddening inconsistency.

"It's been a lot calmer than the last few years, mainly because the car is what we intended it to be," Andrew Shovlin, the team's Trackside Racing Engineer, told reporters on Friday in Japan. "It hasn't really got the vices that we've had in a couple of previous years and that's down to doing good work over the winter.

"There's clearly a gap to McLaren that we need to chip away at, but that looks more like just a normal development race that we need to get stuck into rather than trying to get on top of any of the handling vices that we've had," explained Shovlin.

Russell ended the first day of free practice for the Japanese Grand Prix in P6, half a second down on the top time by Oscar Piastri in the McLaren. Antonelli was P12 in the interrupted session.

A positive first day at Suzuka

In the team report, Russell reflected on FP1 and FP2: "We had a positive day. The car has been handling nicely, although we know the forecast wind change tomorrow will have an impact. McLaren once again looks very strong, and there were several other teams that were competitive on the single lap.

"It's unusual to see so many teams so close together so we will have to be at our best to be competing near the front. If we do the job we know we can do though, I'm confident that we can be in the fight for the front two rows in Qualifying.

"Given the interrupted FP2, we still have a few unknowns heading into the race on Sunday. We were only able to complete four laps on the Hard tyre. We therefore have little data to work with in terms of degradation, and any possible graining, on that compound.

"There is also a threat of rain for race day which could make things interesting. The important thing for Friday though is that we were competitive on the timing screens and that gives us a good platform to build on," added the Mercedes driver.

Russell and Antonelli work well together

Antonelli tempered after successful 1st day: 'Much work in coming days'

Russell won his second and third races last year as the junior partner to Lewis Hamilton but has stepped up as the senior driver this year after the departure of the seven-time F1 world champion to Ferrari.

Shovlin revealed of Russell: "He's very calm. He seems very confident. He's done a great job in the first two races, so that's been really encouraging. He just seems to be very relaxed in his position in the team now and he's just going about getting the points."

Mercedes opted against bringing in a more experienced driver to replace Hamilton and Shovlin said Russell, now in his seventh season in Formula 1, was helping bring on the raw but exciting talent of teenager Antonelli.

Shovlin added: "I would say that George has stepped up into that role - being the team's most experienced driver now. We always knew he was quick, but in his own approach.

"He has brought confidence and a calmness this year that's working very well for us. "It's really pleasing to see how the two of them are working together, and how George has stepped up into that role," added Shovlin.

(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney; Additional reporting by Agnes Carlier at Suzuka)