Russell changes at Mercedes: 'I’m not here to play silly buggers'

George Russell is more serious at Mercedes than at Williams. That was the conclusion already drawn by Lando Norris, but Russell also sees that he has changed at his new team.

From Williams to Mercedes

In 2022, Russell will drive his first season for Mercedes after three years at Williams. A big step from the back of the grid straight to the front, but the young Briton is performing well. Still, colleagues notice that he behaves differently. Norris said that Russell is less funny and more serious.

Norris did not mean it as an attack on his countryman, but more as an observation of what happens when you go to a bigger team with more pressure. Russell sees that for himself too. ''I think every environment is different. After three years at Williams, we were obviously fighting for every single point we could. But here, it’s a different story, we’re here to win, we’re here to fight for championships'', says Russell at The Race.

Duel with Hamilton

These demands are raising the bar within the team and the driver has noticed that too. ''It puts it back on you as a driver and as an individual to sort of raise your game. I’m not here to play silly buggers, I’m here to win'', the ambitious Mercedes driver sounds.

Russell has started his time with Mercedes well in that respect. The Briton is fourth in the championship, twelve points and two places above his experienced teammate. Lewis Hamilton has finished on the podium every time in the last five races, so Russell will have to raise his level even further to keep the seven-time world champion behind him after the summer.