Mercedes expect Russell revival after summer break: 'You'll see the very best of George'

Having entered the season as many people's title favourite, the Briton has instead found himself up against a teammate who has taken another huge step forward compared to last year, claiming six wins from the opening 11 races and heading into the summer break with a 50-point lead over Lewis Hamilton.

Speaking to GPblog, among others, Lord said he understood the pressure Russell faced by repeatedly being labelled the favourite before every race weekend, explaining that while those expectations could be motivating, they could also become difficult to manage.

Lord said Russell had gone through spells this season where it felt as though one setback only led to another, with problems continuing to pile up. He believes the summer break offers the perfect opportunity for him to reset, take stock and return with a fresh mindset.

He finally added that, although Russell is not in the position he would ideally want to be, he remains firmly in the fight for the Drivers' Championship. Lord expressed confidence that, after the break, Russell will return to his best and show his strongest form over the remaining races.

Speaking to GPblog, among others after Hungary, Russell admitted both he and the team were frustrated by the run of problems affecting his season. He stressed that Mercedes also needed to examine whether there was anything on its side contributing to the repeated issues, while acknowledging that other drivers, including Oscar Piastri, also experienced setbacks. However, he felt the problems affected him far more frequently than others.

Russell said he hoped his luck would change after the summer break, insisting he had never experienced a season like this, either in Formula 1 or throughout his career. He explained that he was trying not to dwell on factors outside his control, pointing to Hungary as an example of a race ruined despite following the correct start procedure and showing solid pace.

He finally added that, although he was satisfied with the aspects he could influence, the final result was disappointing, and admitted he felt he needed the summer break more than ever this season.