George Russell admits that the Aston Martin is the car that has surprised him most, before weighing in on Mercedes’ competitive standing
George Russell’s recent comments have certainly raised eyebrows. The British driver, now entering his fifth season with the Silver Arrows, is gearing up for 2026—a year where, on paper, the W17 is widely considered the absolute favorite.
The recent statements from Toto Wolff, who expressed total confidence in the Brackley Power Unit for the upcoming era, suggest a wave of optimism for the duo of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. This confidence extends to Mercedes’ customer teams as well, with Alpine joining Williams and McLaren in the engine supply lineup this year.
Aston Martin’s departure from the Mercedes Power Unit family (as they transition to Honda) was a key talking point for George, who admitted to being caught off guard by the technical innovations unveiled in Barcelona.
Russell’s words
Speaking during a press junket yesterday, Russell reflected on the Barcelona tests:
“Aston Martin is likely the most striking car from a conceptual and design standpoint. Everyone noticed the solutions they’ve implemented at the rear; looking at it, it’s clearly a very fascinating machine”.
“Despite the visual intrigue, Russell remains pragmatic: “That said, we aren’t here to judge aesthetics; we’re here to understand who is truly fast on track. In the end, only one thing matters: who will be the quickest when it counts. We’ll find out in Melbourne, and that is the car everyone will eventually want to emulate “.
Regarding the fight for the front of the grid, Russell noted: “The best-case scenario for F1 and for the drivers is to have multiple teams and drivers capable of fighting for the win. Right now, it seems Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari, and ourselves are quite close, but you cannot ignore what Aston Martin has shown“.
Finally, he touched upon the threat posed by the new partnership at Aston Martin: What [Adrian] Newey has brought to the track is impressive, and we know exactly how competitive Honda has been with Red Bull in recent years. All these elements suggest we could be in for a very compelling battle “.
Photos: Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team
