'George Is Our Future': Russell Tipped To Lead Mercedes By Team Principal

Monday, 15 January 2024 at 22:00

George Russell is one of the most talented drivers in Formula One, and according to Mercedes' Team Principal, Toto Wolff, he is the team's future.

Teaming up with a seven-time World Champion is certainly not easy, and that's something that Russell had to do when he joined Lewis Hamilton in Mercedes. In his first year with the team, the young Brit managed to be competitive, but in the 2023 F1 season, it was Hamilton who was the better driver.

Still, the 25-year-old brought the team's only race win in the past two seasons, and with a 103-time race winner and one of the rising stars, Mercedes has one of the strongest driver line-ups in the sport.

Their Team Principal, Toto Wolff, who just extended his contract with the team, spoke to The Telegraph about the team, and naturally, he had words of praise for his drivers.

According to the 52-year-old, Russell is the team's future, and if he could choose anyone from the young drivers currently on the grid, he would go with the driver that currently sits in his team's car.

Read also

Mercedes Team Principal Wolff Signs Three-Year Contract Extension

"George is our future. And you know, when I look at all the young men, of the current Formula One drivers, he’s the one I would want to have in a car."

After struggling during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Mercedes enters the 2024 season with a new challenge on their hands, after dominating sport for eight years before the recent slump.

However, Wolff reminds that they avoid being negative amid Red Bull's dominance, as even McLaren showed last year that becoming competitive during the course of a season is certainly possible.

"You cannot start the season with an attitude of ‘this is not going to be possible.’ We saw last year with McLaren, what a huge step they made with a single upgrade."