Martin Brundle has backed George Russell to have the ability to take care of the stress of combating for the 2026 Formulation 1 drivers’ championship, ought to he be ready to take action.
The Mercedes driver is a favorite heading into the season with the Brackley outfit anticipated to be robust within the new period of rules, which concentrate on an nearly 50:50 cut up between inside combustion and electrical energy. Different main adjustments within the new rules embrace lively aerodynamics, which replaces DRS, and smaller and lighter automobiles.
“Effectively, no person’s bought extra confidence in George than George,” Brundle laughed as he was requested by Sky Sports activities F1 how a lot of a step up will probably be for the Briton this yr.
“I like the best way he goes about his racing and he is finished the onerous yards at Williams for quite a few years. He moved to Mercedes simply as they stopped dominating. Saved his head down. He’s the primary within the workforce.
“I believe Kimi Antonelli, his team-mate, may have an ideal season as nicely. However George has bought all the boldness he must win races, I believe, to go and win a championship if it is accessible to him.
“We questioned that with Lando final yr and Oscar Piastri. Effectively, Max has been there any variety of instances earlier than. So, will they wilt below the stress? They usually did not. Lando received the championship, in fact. So, I believe George is in a really, excellent place in opposition to that.”
George Russell, Mercedes
Picture by: Alastair Staley / LAT Photographs by way of Getty Photographs
Requested if Russell might deal with competitors from his team-mate, Brundle added: “I imply, keep in mind he grew up kind of in Lewis Hamilton’s shadow at Mercedes-Benz, and he dealt with that, and ultimately, within the closing yr they had been team-mates, he beat Lewis.
“So I’ve no doubts by any means. They’re all world-class drivers in Formulation 1. You have to beat them one way or the other. George has bought a lot expertise now, regardless of being nowhere close to being 30 years previous that I do not suppose something will distract him if he is bought a championship-winning automobile.”
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