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.

Russell becomes his team’s senior driver for the 2025 F1 seasonಞ♚ after Lewis Hamilton’s departure to Ferrari.

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

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

“He’s head of the GDPA. The way he presen✤ts himself, he is suit🌳ed.

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

“Russell ⭕will be willing to help to beg𓄧in with. But it comes down to performance…

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

“It’s a balancing act but I don’t see why he wouldn’t. I💯t benefits the team to w♈ork together.”

Pressure on George Russell at Mercedes

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

“That might change if Kimi starts beating him!

“They have to work together for the benefit of the🅺 team.

“I th൩ink there’s more pressure on Russell this year than Ki൲mi. “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 lea𒊎de൲r.

“He has huge shoes to fill. Russell w🉐ill be expected to beat Kimi throug🎐hout the season.

“If we get to a point where Kimi is outperforming R🌊ussell, or is ahead in the standings, questions might be asked of Russell.

“Everyone, at the moment, expects🔯 Kimi might struggle. Or at lea🔯st have a slow start.

“If that flips around, the pressure ramps up on Russell 🍒who doesn’♔t have 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 futur💜e.

“Kimi is seen is a sup💞erstar of th💃e 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 room for complacency eve😼n though he’s shown that he beat Hamilton last season.”