168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:George Russell must assert himself as Mercedes’ dominant driver while helping 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Andrea Kimi Antonelli, he has been advised.

Russe🍃ll becomes🃏 his team’s senior driver for the 2025 F1 season after Lewis Hamilton’s departure to Ferrari.

Teenage r𝔍ookie Antonelli is an exciting - and unpredictable - addition to the grid who Russell is responsible for assisting. But Russell has been told not to forget to look after himself first.

Cꦰonnor McDonagh told the Crash F1 podcast a💮bout Russell’s leadership job at Mercedes: “I can’t think of a better driver on the grid suited to that role.

“He’s head of the GDPA. The wa♊y💎 he presents himself, he is suited.

“Without Hamilton, Mercedes will be 𝔍fine in terms of Russell leading the team.

“Russell will be willing to help to beg𝓡in with. Bu🍸t it comes down to performance…

“If Max Verstappen becomes available for 2026, or it’s a bit competitive between [the Mercedes drivers], Russell will think ‘I need to smash Antonelli to ensure I’m ꦕthe man for the future’.

“It’s a balancing act but I don’t see why he wouldn’t. It benef♛its the team to work together.”

Pressure on George Russell at Mercedes

Lewis Larkam addedಞ: “I 📖don’t think Russell will have an issue supporting Kimi early on.

“That might change if Kimi starts beating him!

“They hav𓆉e to w༒ork together for the benefit of the team.

“I think there’s more pressure on Russell this year than Kimi. “Mercedes have downplayed Kimi, Toto Wolff has♉ said they expect 🎀mistakes.

“Russell is coming off a season convincingly beating the most successful driver in F1 history and is now expected to take up the mantle of team l🐻eader.

“He has huge shoes to fill. Russell will be expected ♕to beat Kimi throဣughout the season.

“If we🐓 get to a point where Kimi is outper🅰forming Russell, or is ahead in the standings, questions might be asked of Russell.

“Everyone, at the moment, expects Kimi might struggle. Or𝓡 at least have a slow start.

“If that flips around, the pressure ramps up on Russell who doesn’t hav﷽e a contract for 2026.

“In a way he is fighting - we assume he’s a Mercedes driver ✨for the long-term. They have the option, and it’s the way both parties want to go. But in some ways he’s also fighting for his future.

“Kim♏i is seen is a superstar of the future. We know they've been interested in Verstappen.

“If an opportunity came up [to sign Verstappen] they’d snap it up. The💎 question is෴ ‘who does he replace?’

“If Mercedes put all their eggs into Antonelli,﷽ where does it leave Russell?

“There is no r🤡oom for 🌠complacency even though he’s shown that he beat Hamilton last season.”