How Mercedes inconsistency masked George Russell’s best F1 season

With Antonelli stepping into a full-time role, Russell naturally took on more responsibility as team leader. The team brought in the rookie to replace Lewis Hamilton, who had made the move to Ferrari. That gave Russell the chance to step out of Hamilton’s shadow after three seasons alongside the seven-time champion.

James Hinchcliffe believes Russell put together a “championship-calibre season” despite what he was up against in 2025. While the results didn’t always show it, his work behind the wheel kept Mercedes in contention when others might have faded.

The inconsistency in the Mercedes package at times hid the consistently high level that Russell was performing at,” Hinchcliffe told F1.com.

Russell hoping to build on 2025 experience in pursuit of 2026 title

Russell had a strong start to the 2025 F1 season, finishing in the top five of every qualifying and race session across the first six Grands Prix. However, Mercedes hit a setback after introducing a rear suspension upgrade at Imola, which led to ongoing instability issues.

Although Russell won the Canadian GP following an attempt by Mercedes to fix their rear suspension, this victory may have delayed their recognition of its issues. Once they removed the update ahead of Hungary, he returned to podium form and only finished outside the top six once more that season.

The Mercedes W16 struggled to keep pace with McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, as well as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Russell’s success often came when rivals faltered or during standout performances like his win in Singapore.

But next year could be very different for Russell and Mercedes. The new regulations are widely expected to help Mercedes return to title contention for the first time since 2021, with rivals suspecting their engine design has found a significant advantage under updated rules.