The 2024 Formula 1 championship season is upon us as the drivers take to the track for the first practice session of the season opener in Bahrain. The teams will squeeze out more realistic times during the free practice sessions ahead of the qualifying and give us more realistic expectations from each team. For Mercedes specifically, if the W15 is still lagging and unable to compete with the front runners despite major changes, George Russell has hinted at who to blame.

Thanks to Mercedes’ poor iteration of the new regulations, the cars they produced in the last two years have been competitive enough to squeeze out one win. Lewis Hamilton raised his voice until the entire world heard it forcing Mercedes to change the sidepod concept. The team admitted their mistake and took on a new developmental path which put them in the right direction. Building on Hamilton’s feedback, the team, according to Russell’s admission on F1’s post-pre-season testing compilation YouTube video, the W15 fulfills all the 7x champion’s wishes.

“I think we hit the ground in a place but also because there’s only one thing that matters and that’s the lap times. I think Lewis and I have put a huge amount of work into — steer the team in the direction we want to go in. Obviously, with Lewis’s experience a lot of the car’s been designed around his wishes with the car being sat further rear than it was last year. The Red Bull-esque sidepods on the side are slightly different and slightly different steering racks,” admitted Russell.

He concluded, “It’s good that the team’s been sort of listening to that but we need to see if that translates into lap time.”

Despite leaving Mercedes after the 2024 season, Hamilton has made sure he spends his last year driving a car he can feel comfortable and confident in. Whether the team back in Brackley has been able to implement his feedback will soon be evident. However, one thing is clear for now: the 2024 car is still built around the de facto leader, Hamilton. However, of his own admission, this scenario is going to change sooner or later.

Lewis Hamilton chooses George Russell as his successor at Mercedes

Since 2013, Lewis Hamilton announced himself as the team’s leader and never left the post. However, after the 2024 season, he will finally vacate the seat and a new driver will fill in his shoes. A new driver will be occupying his Mercedes seat but as for the leader, the Brit chose Russell as the perfect successor.

He made this admission when asked if the young Brit would be able to lead the Brackley outfit to future glory during an interview.

He said, “I don’t know. I’m sure he can. George he’s very technical, massively engaging. He’s obviously come a long way since he was at Williams and since he joined the team [Mercedes]. He’s also incredibly close with Toto, so no doubt that will be his position.”

Russell has surely matured over the years and has already proved himself as a race winner. Now it remains to be seen if he will have enough command and success in the team to influence their decisions on what developmental path to take like the 7x champion.