George Russell has revealed he is aiming to improve his race pace in the upcoming Formula 1 season, having admitted that it was “not always the best” throughout 2024.
Russell emerged as a standout name last time around as he managed two victories to outscore team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who has departed to Ferrari, 245 points to 223.
But it was the Briton’s exploits over a single lap that earned him the plaudits as he out-qualified Hamilton, F1’s record pole position holder, a staggering 19 times in 24 rounds.
Russell was on pole four times last season compared to Hamilton’s zero and had the third-highest average qualifying position behind Max Verstappen and Lando Norris.
However, there were occasions during the campaign where Russell didn’t capitalise on a strong starting position, including Canada where he dropped from pole down to third.
Such incidences have prompted Russell to place an added emphasis on ensuring that he is as competitive relative to his rivals across a race distance as he is over one lap.
“My goals are very much the same and the approach has not changed,” Russell said in an exclusive interview with Mercedes.
“Formula 1 is so unique, so you cannot really set goals like that. If I say that I want to win four races this year because last year I won three, I am not going to be satisfied if I win five but the car is capable of 10. I tend to keep my goals on more details targets.
“Last year qualifying was my strength, but my race pace was not always the best.
“I know I have the speed over one lap, but there is no reason why I should not be able to convert that over the course of a race.
“I need to work on some elements to achieve that, and there will be some other goals – that perhaps are not clear to the fans at home but are at the forefront of my mind.
“The great thing about F1 is you enter a new year, with a new car and new limitations – something that may have been a strength last year may not be this year. You always have to adapt.”
Russell raring to go in 2025
Russell, who will partner rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli this season, expressed that he had been raring to return to a racing-orientated environment not long into the winter break.
“The break is needed for everyone in Formula 1, but in all honesty, I was eager to get back to it,” he confessed.
“There is a bit of time until the first race, but the first day here is a step towards that.
“What’s so great being back is that you see how motivated everybody is to go racing and see how the car is.”
Russell has gone through ‘brutal’ training regime
The three-time F1 race winner explained that he has been put through his paces with a “brutal” training regime as he prepares for the gruelling 24-round calendar ahead.
“I started my physical preparation with Aleix [Casanovas, trainer] on 2 January,” he added. “We have done a few weeks now, the second week was absolutely brutal.
“We build into it, the last thing you want to do is go out too hard and injure yourself. I kept moving over the break anyway, keeping mobile to avoid sitting around all day doing nothing.
Exercise for me is more than just a physique, it’s a great way of making me feel good and helps my mental health – that’s why I don’t want to stop.”
READ MORE – Why George Russell thinks 2024 put Mercedes in good stead for potential F1 title tilt
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