Mercedes note major change in George Russell as Max Verstappen threat looms

Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin has spoken glowingly about how George Russell has stepped into a team-leader role this F1 season.

Following Lewis Hamilton seeking pastures new at Ferrari, the 27-year-old has assumed more responsibility with the Brackley squad as the more experienced driver in its line up.

Team principal Toto Wolff has also been forthcoming in his praise of Russell, who has opened his account for the year with back-to-back podium finishes and sits third in the drivers' standings.

Russell was less than two-tenths of a second off session-leading Lando Norris in FP1 at Suzuka and finished sixth fastest in the second, disrupted practice hour at the Japanese Grand Prix.

"Certainly within the team, he's very calm," Shovlin told media including RacingNews365. "He seems very confident.

"He's done a great job in the first two races, so that's been really encouraging. He just seems to be very relaxed in his position in the team now and he's just going about getting the points, trying to qualify as well as he can.

"Front row in China was very encouraging. He's pushing us hard to improve and he's doing a lot of work himself."

Fending off Max Verstappen

Paired with highly-touted rookie Kimi Antonelli, Russell appears to have seamlessly taken on his new mantle - an important step for him to take.

The three-time grand prix winner is out of contract at the end of the year and with Max Verstappen looming as a very real possibility for Mercedes, the British driver will need to continue his strong start to the campaign.

That said, leading figures at the eight-time F1 constructors' champions like what they see so far as Russell looks to bat away any doubt that he is the right driver to lead the team.

"It's inevitably going to change when you've got an experienced driver like George and then a rookie like Kimi," Shovlin explained.

"So those two are working together, and George is trying to give him the benefit of his experience. I would say that George has stepped up into that role - being the team's most experienced driver now.

"We always knew he was quick, but in his own approach, he has brought a confidence and a calmness this year that's working very well for us.

"You look at that race in Melbourne - George was communicating really well with us as to what the weather was doing and what he was feeling in the car.

"We were using a lot of that information to copy the strategy onto Kimi’s side because, for Kimi, a lot of it was new. But it’s really pleasing to see how the two of them are working together, and how George has stepped up into that role."