Russell: 'Fresh start' after Hamilton exit ‘really good’ for Mercedes

Mercedes driver George Russell has described Lewis Hamilton’s departure at the end of 2024 and his replacement by teenage rookie Kimi Antonelli as a pivotal “fresh start” for the Silver Arrows.

The team, which had dominated the hybrid era with Hamilton at the helm, has faced a period of adjustment, but Russell sees the changes as ultimately beneficial.

Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, claimed six of his titles with Mercedes over 13 years before moving to Ferrari last winter in search of a late-career challenge.

His exit left Russell as the de facto team leader and opened the door for 18-year-old Antonelli to step up from Mercedes’ junior programme.

“Sometimes you need to break that mould to find yourself back on track,” Russell told Motorsport.com. “For sure, it's a different feeling within the team. But ultimately, you only look towards one thing, which is the performance.

“We obviously started really well. Now we've had a run of bad form. I hope we can get that back on track, but there's always pros and cons to every change that you make in any organisation.

“But I think the change was with Lewis. It's good for him. It's really good for us as a team; a fresh start.”

Progress Amid Challenges for Antonelli

Antonelli’s rookie campaign has been marked by both promise and hurdles, particularly a rear suspension downgrade in Imola that left him struggling for confidence.

Despite this, Russell believes the young Italian is still learning rapidly and expects him to return stronger after the summer break.

“The fact is, his pace delta to me is no different. I think that's what people don't see,” Russell explained.

“In Canada I was on pole and he qualified fourth, but he was six tenths behind me. In Belgium, he was out in Q1 and I made it to Q3 but he was only three tenths off.

“People look at the underlying result, but the truth is he's still making progress, even though we as a team have gone backwards.

“But suddenly you're now in the fight where a tenth can be six or seven grid spots, whereas before, for the positions we were fighting for, a tenth was plus or minus one position. Kimi and I had just taken an equal step backwards over those last few races.”

Russell stressed that Mercedes’ collective dip in form was not solely Antonelli’s responsibility and highlighted that the team’s technical setbacks were temporary.

Looking Ahead: Stability and Preparation for 2026

Despite recent struggles, Russell believes Mercedes is well-positioned for 2026 thanks to the majority of its workforce already focused on next year’s car.

"It's obviously a totally different concept going into next year, but you still need people feeling creative, feeling confident with themselves, and the simulations and tools working properly," Russell said.

• Read also: Russell reveals father’s harsh lessons that shaped his F1 journey

"Ultimately, this is a sport based upon decisions and upon people, because the people are who create the simulations and everything, and we need them in the best place possible.

“Of course, this recent lack of performance is not ideal, but actually the truth is 95 percent of the workforce is already on 2026. So, that group of people is not in the sort of emotional cycle that you would ordinarily be in."

For Russell, the combination of a new teammate, a leadership role, and a renewed focus on performance represents a chance to reset the team and build toward a competitive future.

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