F1 News: George Russell excited for 2023 "knowing the potential" at Mercedes
George Russell is satisfied with his performance in his first year with Mercedes, but he hopes next year's W14 can push the team back into title contention.
Mercedes failed to establish themselves in the Championship battle last season, producing a highly unpredictable car that lacked the pace to fight for victories on a regular basis.
Whilst the Silver Arrows successfully reduced the gap to Red Bull and Ferrari at the end of the year, significant progress still needs to be made over the winter break.
The 2023 season allows Mercedes to rectify their slow start to F1's latest regulation change, and George Russell has demonstrated the team can rely on two highly capable drivers.
Russell's performances throughout the year were beyond what most of the paddock anticipated, showcasing impressive levels of maturity and consistency throughout the year.
However, the 24-year-old has no interest in celebrating a fourth-place finish in the standings and is eager to see the progress Mercedes have made:
"With the struggles at the start of the year, the car being off the pace and then coming through towards the end of the season, it has been really exciting to see that progress - especially heading into 2023...
"Knowing the potential that we have within this team makes me excited for 2023.
"It is no secret how fantastic the operation is in Brackles and Brixworth and what the whole team is capable of.
"Obviously, after a setback such as 2022, it's really exciting knowing that we have the possibility to come back through and fight again in 2023."
Mercedes have engrained their efficiency and innovation in the minds of F1 fans for almost a decade, so it would be no surprise to see them at the front in 2023.
The Silver Arrows will also enjoy more wind tunnel time than Red Bull and Ferrari.
Still, as last season demonstrated, mastering a new set of regulations is a complicated task - and making the necessary changes cannot always happen overnight.