George Russell sends rivals a message as he starts F1 season as title favourite

George Russell insisted he is not scared of anyone on the eve of a season which he starts as the favourite to dethrone Lando Norris as Formula One world champion.

Following a major overhaul of the sport’s regulations, Russell’s Mercedes team are tipped to hold a significant advantage over their rivals.

Although McLaren’s Oscar Piastri led the way in practice at Melbourne’s sun-drenched Albert Park on Friday – with Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and team-mate Russell second and third respectively – one rival engine manufacturer claimed privately that the Silver Arrows could be as much as a second-a-lap faster than the rest in Sunday’s race.

Such lofty superiority would place Russell, now entering his fourth season with Mercedes and his seventh in all, in a strong position to open his title tilt by landing a statement win.

Russell saw off Lewis Hamilton in two of their three seasons together at Mercedes. The 28-year-old was also one of the grid’s standout performers last year. Russell was the only man outside of championship contenders Norris, Piastri and Max Verstappen to win a race.

But his title credentials are yet to be tested over the course of a campaign.

However, when asked if he has got the “balls” required to deliver the F1 title, Russell replied: “That’s for you to decide. I know my answer. I don’t need to say it… but I’ve said that all along.

“I respect all of the drivers, but I’m not scared of any of them. And I’ve said that very publicly and openly. And even the greatest driver who’s on the grid at the moment (Verstappen). I’m not scared to go and be team-mates with him, or go wheel-to-wheel with him.

“That was a position I found myself in in 2022, when there was another certain guy who was the greatest at that moment (Lewis Hamilton). I backed myself fully. And I’ve shown, especially the last two years, what I’m capable of achieving.

“Last year was clearly my best year. But it doesn’t faze me at all these headlines of being title favourite because I’ve told myself over these years, positive media comments or negative media comments, or fan comments, it’s honestl, in one ear and out the other.

“Because the good stuff doesn’t make me drive faster and it doesn’t make me go slower and the bad stuff doesn’t make you go faster or make you go slower. So, as a professional athlete, I’ve taught myself, you know, that’s locked in a little drawer. I just focus on what I can control.”

Both Russell and compatriot Norris made their debuts at this event in 2019. Norris saw off Verstappen in last season’s nerve-jangling finale in Abu Dhabi to fulfil his childhood dream and claim his maiden world crown.

But with new rules, McLaren’s advantage has evaporated. Norris managed only seven laps in the day’s opening running following a gearbox problem, and then finished a full second behind Piastri in practice – a disappointing start to his title defence.

Hamilton endured a nightmare first season with Ferrari, ending the year without a podium for the first time in his career. But the 41-year-old can take some comfort from finishing fourth in practice, just 0.001 seconds behind Russell.