George Russell says Red Bull have ‘sewn up’ world championship

Mercedes spent a decade as the most dominant team in F1 history, but their drivers can’t seem to handle not having the fastest car.

Mercedes' British driver George Russell attends a press conference at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir ahead of the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix on March 2, 2023. (Photo by ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / AFP)

Red Bull’s position at the top of the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships seems in no danger of ending any time soon and rival teams appear to be resigned to competing for second place.

Mercedes driver George Russell finished seventh in Bahrain as the Brackley-based team continue their struggles from 2022, and put Red Bull and Max Verstappen in a league of their own.

Watch the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023 Live and ad-break free during racing on Kayo Sports. Begins 4:00AM AEDT March 20. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

“Red Bull has got this championship sewn up, I don’t think anyone is going to be fighting with them this year,” he said.

“I expect they should win every single race this season.

“With the performance they’ve got I don’t see anyone challenging them. They’ve got it easy at the moment and they can do what they like.

“Red Bull is just on a different planet.

“This is what hurts because they are so far ahead, it reminds me of our best years because we just put a second on everybody else.”

Both Mercedes drivers have been outwardly pessimistic heading into testing and the first round of the World Championship, with the Silver Arrows seemingly unable to recreate the magic of their record eight consecutive Constructors’ titles.

George Russell’s time at Mercedes hasn’t been as easy as he thought it would be. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

“We were miles away,” said Lewis Hamilton.

“A podium was nowhere near.

“We have got a lot of work to do and we have got to add downforce to the car. We are lacking a lot of downforce so that is really where the time will come.

“As soon as we put more load in the rear and the front, we’ll pick up that pace.

“We definitely can’t fight Ferrari at the moment. We’re the fourth fastest team. We are going backwards, we have a lot of work to do to close that gap.

“We are just lacking downforce and we have got to work really hard to add that ASAP. Anything from in the wind tunnel, we need it tomorrow. We have really got to push massively to try and close that gap.”

The Mercedes chassis design is at the core of the team’s well-documented struggles, with Aston Martin emerging as a clear contender to break the traditional big three’s stranglehold at the top of the Constructors’ standings, despite being a Mercedes engine customer.

Social media was highly critical of the drivers’ negativity, ripping into Russell for “essentially giving up”.

George Russell doesn’t expect to add to his one career victory. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

“He should be lifting his team up, instead of conceding,” said journalist Nathalie Sturgeon.

One social media user called Russell “a clown”, noting that even the most dominant teams in the history of the sport didn’t win every race, taking the examples of the early 2000s Ferraris. 2010s Mercedes teams, as well as McLaren in the late 1980s.

Another agreed, calling him a “moron”.

Another remarked “gotta love the fighting spirit, giving up with 22 races to go…”

“I just can’t get how on earth anyone could cheer for this team,” said another.

One commentator said they understood Russell’s pessimism, saying “it must be demoralising to have waited years for his seat in the sport’s most dominant team, only to have them immediately not be the sport’s most dominant team.”