Russell concedes Mercedes 'built around Hamilton'

George Russell has conceded "a lot" of Mercedes' new W15 car has been designed around team-mate Lewis Hamilton's wishes.

The Silver Arrows have struggled under F1's latest technical regulatory era, securing just one victory through Russell at the 2022 São Paulo Grand Prix and despite recovering to second in last season's Constructors' standings, a radical redesign has been completed with the hope of throwing down a challenge to Red Bull.

Addressing the potential for the new car after last week's pre-season testing, Russell told media including RacingNews365.com: "I think we hit the ground in a good place but ultimately, there's only one thing that matters and that's the lap time.

"I think Lewis and I have put a huge amount of work into helping steer the team and the direction we want to go in.

"Obviously, with Lewis' experience, a lot of the car has been designed around his wishes - the car being sat further rearwards than we were last year and the Red Bull-esque sidepods and a slightly different steering rack.

"It is good the team has been listening to that but we need to see if that translates into lap time."

'No silver bullet'

Having conceded much of the design ideas have been focused on Hamilton's feedback, Russell was asked whether any of his own input had been taken on board.

"Of course," he replied.

"I put my trust into the designers and the aerodynamicists. I am not an aerodynamicist and the driver's job is to maximise the package, what you are given.

"So we have been very clear the last two years on the limitations that we are facing, Lewis and I have always had very similar comments in slightly different ways.

"He was talking a lot about the seating position, I was talking about the rear being unstable and ultimately, we have cured that problem we believe, maybe in a number of changes we have done.

"There is never one silver bullet."