George Russell recalls the moment he knew he could become F1 world champion with Mercedes

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George Russell is enjoying his best season in Formula 1 to date in 2025, claiming two wins and eight podiums with Mercedes.

The Brit has been part of the Mercedes programme since 2017 and began his career testing for the team, as well as Force India. He was afforded his chance in F1 when he signed with Williams in 2019.

Russell spent three years with the Grove outfit, putting in exceptional performances, particularly in qualifying, in underdeveloped machinery. Interestingly, Williams did not really like working with Russell due to the way they operate.

Toto Wolff admitted that Russell spent too long at Williams, eventually promoting him to Mercedes in 2022 as Valtteri Bottas’ replacement. But the 27-year-old made his debut with the Silver Arrows long before then.

He replaced Lewis Hamilton at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix after the recently-crowned seven-time champion contracted COVID-19. Driving the unbelievably quick W11, Russell instantly made an impact.

George Russell reflects on Sakhir 2020 as the moment he knew he could fight for a championship with Mercedes

The Brit qualified on the front row for his Mercedes debut, coming under three hundredths of a second away from pole position, which was taken by teammate Bottas.

Russell jumped the Finn at the start for the lead and held on for most of the race until a late puncture ruined his evening, leaving him to crawl home in P9. Despite the heartbreak, the 27-year-old looks back on Sakhir 2020 as the moment he knew he could fight for a championship.

He told the Mercedes YouTube channel ahead of his 150th race at the Las Vegas Grand Prix: “I think for me as well, you always believe in yourself as a driver, but you just never know until you get the chance.

“Can I win a race? Can I fight for a championship? And I think for me, that was like, I know I can do this now, and given the equipment, I know I’ll take my chances.

“And we’re kind of in a similar boat today. We’re fighting, we’re winning races, we’re always there or thereabouts. But we want to fight for a championship now, and I know that we can achieve it when the time comes.”

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Could George Russell be world champion in 2026?

Sitting fourth in the standings in 2025, Russell has been the closest challenger to the McLarens and Max Verstappen. He was still mathematically in contention up until the Brazilian GP, highlighting how strong a season he has had.

With the Brit signing a new contract for 2026, he will be looking to challenge further up the field. He may have the car to do that, as Mercedes are being tipped to have the fastest engine under the new technical regulations.

Russell has clearly shown that he has the talent to fight for a championship. If he has the car behind him, there is no reason why he and teammate Kimi Antonelli cannot mount a serious challenge.

However, uncertainty still lies with his future. Karun Chandhok thinks Russell could leave Mercedes even if he wins the 2026 title due to Wolff’s pursuit of Verstappen, which is almost certain to continue next year.