George Russell stood out last season, securing two victories and outscoring his now-departed teammate, Lewis Hamilton, 245 points to 223.

However, it was his exceptional qualifying performances that truly earned him recognition. Despite Hamilton holding the record for most pole positions in F1 history, Russell out-qualified him an impressive 19 times across 24 rounds.

The Briton claimed four pole positions, while Hamilton failed to secure a single one, placing Russell third in the average qualifying standings behind only Max Verstappen and Lando Norris.

Yet, Russell didn’t always capitalise on his strong grid positions. In Canada, for example, he slipped from pole to third, highlighting a key area for improvement. Acknowledging this, Russell has made it a priority to translate his qualifying pace into stronger race-day performances in 2025.

“My goals are very much the same and the approach has not changed,” he said in an exclusive interview with Mercedes.

Rather than setting fixed targets, he prefers to focus on refining details, explaining: “Last year qualifying was my strength, but my race pace was not always the best.

“I know I have the speed over one lap, but there is no reason why I should not be able to convert that over the course of a race.

“I need to work on some elements to achieve that, and there will be some other goals – that perhaps are not clear to the fans at home but are at the forefront of my mind.

“The great thing about F1 is you enter a new year, with a new car and new limitations – something that may have been a strength last year may not be this year. You always have to adapt.”

Now preparing for his third season as Mercedes’ lead driver, Russell is excited to return to the racing environment, admitting he was ready to get back to work shortly after the winter break. Partnering rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli in 2025, Russell is embracing the challenge of a new season with a new car.

“The break is needed for everyone in Formula 1, but in all honesty, I was eager to get back to it,” he admitted.

“There is a bit of time until the first race, but the first day here is a step towards that.

“What’s so great being back is that you see how motivated everybody is to go racing and see how the car is.”

Physically, Russell has undergone an intense training regime to prepare for the demanding 24-race calendar. Working with his trainer, Aleix Casanovas, since early January, he described the process as “brutal” but necessary to be a more complete driver in 2025.