George Russell showed his leadership qualities at Mercedes with a calm radio message to his engineers before securing a front-row spot on the grid for the Chinese Grand Prix
Formula 1 ace George Russell’s leadership skills are coming to the fore at Mercedes, as evident from a composed radio message to his engineers before qualifying on the front row for the Chinese Grand Prix.
When Russell joined the Silver Arrows in 2022, he was thrust into the spotlight alongside seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, with whom he shared the grid for three years. Following Hamilton’s departure to Ferrari this season, Russell’s team opted not to recruit a big-name replacement, instead promoting 18-year-old rising star Kimi Antonelli.
As a result, the pressure shifted to Russell, who was tasked with leading the charge in pursuit of race victories. In his first outing without Hamilton, Russell secured a podium finish ahead of young Antonelli, and he is once again in contention with a P2 qualification in Shanghai.
However, it was a radio call during Q1 that showcased just how much the 27-year-old has matured – and how his calm, on-track demeanour is developing his leadership qualities.
After comfortably navigating the intense final stages of Q1, Russell radioed his Mercedes engineers, who seemed to be getting flustered – and his message was clear.
“Too stressful, guys” Russell asserted. “Just, let’s stay chill. I was confident with the plan I said before. It just puts too much pressure on us all.”
Russell’s composed approach helped him to claim a remarkable P2 finish not long after he’d clinched fourth in the early hours of the morning during the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race, reports the Express.
Clearly, Russell’s decision to keep a level head paid off massively, as he put in an excellent performance for his team and proved there was no danger of a Mercedes qualifying disaster. Likewise, the crew trusted their leading man’s judgement, reinforcing the growing respect for his leadership beyond the track, especially when compared to young Antonelli, who only managed to secure P8 in qualifying for Sunday’s race.
Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team boss and part owner, didn’t miss the chance to laud Russell’s commanding performance despite the team’s struggles, indicating that the British driver’s efforts were key to their success.
“We were struggling left, right and centre getting the tyres in the right window and finally, on this ultimate lap, he just got it super right,” Wolff confessed to Sky Sports F1. “I think it was good teamwork – his lap. He was able to put it together like he did, and that’s the result.”
Meanwhile, ex-Mercedes man Hamilton, after a somewhat underwhelming 10th place at the Australian Grand Prix, bounced back to clinch his maiden win with his new squad in the Shanghai sprint race.
Despite his victory, Ferrari’s shining star had to settle for P5 in qualifying. However, while Russell appears to be thriving in Hamilton’s absence, the F1 icon himself is finding some early success in his new environment.
“I woke up feeling great today,” Hamilton confessed after his sprint victory. “We have this amazing crowd… the race was tough, many underestimated the uphill battle of joining a new team.
“The number of critics, chattering away, perhaps because they lack the experience. It’s fantastic to come here and feel more at ease in the car. We’ve been really on point. We’ve fine-tuned the car, and it felt superb today.
“I don’t feel the pressure. I know the Tifosi [Ferrari fans] are desperate for a win, I know it means the world to them. As I said the other day, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day.’ One step at a time. Be diligent and stay composed. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, right!”