Mercedes have dominated the F1 season so far, taking back to back 1-2 finishes, with both of their drivers each taking one victory each. However, despite this initial pace advantage over the rest of the field, should Mercedes keep one eye on the past?

Speaking about the chance of other teams catching up to Mercedes, particularly with a sudden one-month break in April, Russell stated: "It's definitely possible. I think it's more important to look at years like 2022 or even 2009. These teams started off very competitive, but then by the end of the season, there was another team who was more competitive."

In 2009, F1 saw a new technical regulations overhaul. Brawn GP started out as the quickest team on the grid, with Jenson Button winning six of the first seven races that year. However, after the Turkish Grand Prix, round seven of the championship - Button never stood on the top step of the podium again.

Red Bull caught up to Brawn in terms of development, particularly after the summer break, where Red Bull's RB5 notably sported a new front nose. Sebastian Vettel caught up to Button in the second half of the season, but ultimately fell short of championship glory.

In 2022, Ferrari and Charles Leclerc took an early lead in the championship, with the Monegasque driver ahead of Max Verstappen by 46-points at one stage. However, Red Bull ultimately caught up to Ferrari and overtook the Italian manufacturer, with Verstappen dominating the rest of the season.

Russell added: "We hope that isn't going to be us, we think we've got some more good developments in the pipeline, but we have to recognise that we have very strong competitors. We hear Red Bull are a bit overweight, McLaren haven't brought an upgrade to the car yet, Ferrari are looking very strong, so it can all still change."

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