- Published
George Russell says he "doesn't feel lost any more" as he seeks to end a difficult season on a high and chase down team-mate Kimi Antonelli's championship lead.
asserted
he → publish → lead
Russell won his third race of the season in Azerbaijan last weekend, and his first for three months, and says he has made a breakthrough in terms of understanding how to drive the Mercedes car.
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he → win → car
The Briton trails Antonelli by 66 points in the championship with either seven or eight races still remaining.
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races → trail → championship
"The thing that's changed is I feel my performances are strong enough to fight for victory week in week out," Russell said.
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Russell → change → week
"I know what I need from the car and myself and I don't really feel lost any more.
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I → know → car
"Confidence is back and it's growing again and it's all coming a bit more naturally, which is how it has been for most of my career and not how it's been for most of the season.
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it → grow → season
"
Mercedes are expecting a strong challenge from McLaren at the flowing Sepang track this weekend as its characteristics should suit the world champions' car.
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characteristics → expect → car
But the team have their first major upgrade for some time and hope that will bring them into contention.
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that → have → contention
Asked whether another strong performance at this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia could change the psychology of the title fight, Russell said: "I've never really felt in a position to fight for the victories because my performances weren't strong enough.
uncertain
performances → ask → victories
"But now finally I feel I'm in a place I can fight for victory week in week out.
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I → feel → week
"Of course there is a big deficit in the championship, but there is a third of a season to go and still so much can happen.
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much → be → season
I am just going to go race by race.
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I → go → race
I feel more at one with the car and hopefully this upgrade will play into my favour a bit more.
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upgrade → feel → favour
Russell started the season as championship favourite but Antonelli took control early on as Russell struggled to get to grips with the Mercedes designed for this year's all-new car and engine rules.
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Russell → start → rules
He has had to "consciously adjust" his driving style.
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He → have → style
"I went through a few races where I was having to think how to make those adjustments, whereas now it's all just a bit more intuitive and a bit more natural," Russell said.
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Russell → go → adjustments
"So what I set out to achieve, in terms of getting the car [into] a slightly better window, I'm now achieving without having to think about it as much.
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I → set → it
So I can just focus on driving fast."
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I → focus → ?
Antonelli had a difficult weekend in Baku, with a crash in qualifying leaving him 16th on the grid, from where he recovered to finished fifth.
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he → have → where
The Italian said: "Last weekend was probably there worst weekend from me of the season.
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weekend → say → season
"But still good learning from the weekend and was also a very strange race for me in Baku because it was one of those races where I consciously tried not to take any risks and just drive under the limit which was very weird but it was what I needed on Sunday.
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I → try → Sunday
I needed a clean result after a very disrupted weekend.
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I → need → weekend
"I wasn't happy after the race but I learned the most important learning was I need to be always 100% because if I don't try to do everything right in my power then nothing is going to come my way.
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nothing → learn → power
"
Vasseur's not going anywhere - Hamilton
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Vasseur → go → ?
Lewis Hamilton has declared Frederic Vasseur as "the guy to lead us" two days after Ferrari made an unusual public statement backing their team principal after speculation over this position.
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Ferrari → declare → position
The seven-time champion, who is third in the drivers' title race while Ferrari are second in the constructors' battle, said removing Vasseur would be a mistake.
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removing → say → Vasseur
"He's doing a fantastic job," Hamilton said.
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Hamilton → do → job
If you look at the history, how many people [have been swapped] out [of] that role… and I feel like it's in a better place than it's been before.
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it → look → place
It's lots and lots of people coming together and if you want to point fingers, point it somewhere else.
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you → come → it
There's people above who are also part of it.
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who → be → it
"Fred's in his position, he's not going anywhere and I'm here to stay with him and I still believe fully in where we're going.
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we → go → him
"Swapping him out won't change how the team is moving forward.
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team → swap → him
Hamilton pointed to the progress Ferrari have made since a winless 2025 season, in which they finished fourth in the teams' championship.
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they → point → championship
He and Leclerc have each won a race this year.
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He → win → race
Ferrari started the season with the best chassis in terms of cornering performance, but their engine has fallen short of those produced by Mercedes and Red Bull.
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engine → start → Mercedes
Hamilton said: "We're second in the championship, a huge improvement on last year already.
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We → say → year
Some races it's 0.6sec and we've still be delivering really great performances.
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we → deliver → performances
"And that just highlights how great a job people at the factory have done.
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people → highlight → factory
All the negativity takes away from that.
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negativity → take → that
"Of course we're not where we want to be but you don't go from last year's experience straight to number one.
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you → want → number
…and 4 more, not listed.
The Aporia
