Russell: Fresh start in F1 2025 was good for both Mercedes and Hamilton

Mercedes Formula 1 driver George Russell says Lewis Hamilton's fresh start at Ferrari for 2025 was good for all parties as he backed his replacement Andrea Kimi Antonelli to bounce back from a challenging spell.

Hamilton claimed six of his seven world championships with Mercedes over 13 years before departing for Ferrari last winter, as he looked for a fresh, late-career challenge with the iconic Italian powerhouse.

Mercedes turned to its junior prodigy Antonelli, fast-tracking the 18-year-old Italian through the single-seater ladder to partner Russell for 2025.

Hamilton has left huge shoes to fill at Brackley, with Russell now the de facto team leader while Antonelli learns alongside the experienced Briton.

Speaking exclusively to Autosport, Russell reflected on the changes he has seen around the team in the wake of Hamilton's departure: "It's a different feeling within the team. But ultimately, you only look towards one thing, which is the performance.

"We obviously started really well. Now we've had a run of bad form. I hope we can get that back on track, but there's always pros and cons to every change that you make in any organisation.

"But I think the change was with Lewis. It's good for him. It's really good for us as a team; a fresh start. Sometimes you need to break that mould to find yourself back on track."

Russell took third in Hungary as Mercedes made a big step towards overcoming its recent struggles.

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

Hamilton's Ferrari start was more difficult than the 40-year-old had envisaged, with a pole-to-flag sprint win in China a rare highlight as he adjusted to his new environment and machinery, even if the seven-time world champion's focus is on hitting the ground running in 2026.

Antonelli has also experienced his inevitable ups and downs during his rookie campaign, being hindered by a rear suspension downgrade in Imola that left him bereft of confidence in the car on most circuits.

But as Mercedes reverted to its older suspension with good effect in Hungary, where Russell collected a podium, he backed Antonelli to start firing on all cylinders again after the break. And he also felt the teenager's personal downturn was overblown given Mercedes collectively took a step backwards with its W16.

"The fact is, his pace delta to me is no different. I think that's what people don't see," he explained. "In Canada I was on pole and he qualified fourth, but he was six tenths behind me. In Belgium, he was out in Q1 and I made it to Q3 but he was only three tenths off.

"People look at the underlying result, but the truth is he's still making progress, even though we as a team have gone backwards. But suddenly you're now in the fight where a tenth can be six or seven grid spots, whereas before for the positions we were fighting for a tenth is plus or minus one position.

"Kimi and I had just taken an equal step backwards over those last few races."

George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

Russell acknowledged that while Mercedes development misstep was "not ideal", he didn't expect it to have any bearing on its 2026 since a large majority of the Brackley squad already transitioned to next year's project by that stage.

"It's obviously a totally different concept going into next year, but you still need people feeling creative, feeling confident with themselves, and the simulations and tools working properly," he added. "Ultimately, this is a sport based upon decisions and upon people, because the people are who create the simulations and everything, and we need them in the best place possible.

"Of course, this recent lack of performance is not ideal, but actually the truth is 95 percent of the workforce is already on 2026. So, that group of people is not in the sort of emotional cycle that you would ordinarily be in."