Expectations immediately sky-high for Russell: 'This is the time'

George Russell will be given the leaden task of competing with Lewis Hamilton next season. The Briton has been in a lonely position at Mercedes for years and last faced a better teammate in 2016. Anthony Davidson, however, expects a lot from Russell.

The newcomer made an excellent impression at Williams last season and thus won a seat at Mercedes. This calendar year will show how Russell deals with the pressure that comes with a top team. Where last season it was mainly fun when he scored points, in 2022 he owes it to his team.

According to Davidson, it is a dream come true for Russell to be with a top team. He therefore expects Russell to get everything out of his car. "There's nothing more that a driver like George wants than to go head to head with Lewis with the same equipment," states Davidson in conversation with Sky Sports. "This is the time you can really see if you're good enough."

The new regulations mean that the drivers should be closer together next season, thus increasing the tension. In addition to top teams Red Bull Racing and Mercedes, it is expected that McLaren, Ferrari and Alpine will also have a good chance at the top places in the standings. The first Grand Prix in Bahrain is scheduled for mid-March.