According to FormulaUno.it, Mercedes is heading to the upcoming race in Malaysia with a brand-new package of upgrades following George Russell's victory in Azerbaijan, aiming to put the championship matters to bed as quickly as possible. We are nearing the conclusion of a season that has been largely dominated, save for a few reliability hiccups that allowed rival outfits to snatch wins at select rounds. Adding to the current serenity at the Brackley squad, an upcoming engine update via ADUO is also on the way.
Coming into the Malaysia weekend as the championship leader, the nineteen-year-old Italian driver reflected briefly on a tough outing in Baku. "The last weekend was probably the worst of the season for me, from my point of view. But anyway I learned a lot," he said, explaining that he deliberately tried to steer clear of risks and drive below the limit. Needing a clean result after a troubled time, he admitted he was not happy with the outcome afterward, but took away a vital lesson: "I have to really push to my maximum to get the best result possible. Because if I don't do everything the right way or try to do it as right as possible, then I won't get anything."
There's still a third of the season to go and anything can happen. I'll take it one race at a time.
For the young Italian, Sepang marks his first time racing in Malaysia, and he is eager to tackle the circuit. "I just finished the track walk and the track looks amazing. The asphalt is very open, very abrasive, so it's going to put tyres to the ultimate test. They won't last long," he noted. Looking forward to the development parts brought by Mercedes, he expects the upgrades to improve the car entirely and hopes it will yield a gain of roughly three decibels—err, three tenths, though the track will be the ultimate judge. For the Malaysian race, he also flags strong McLaren cars alongside a lurking Red Bull.
That championship leader sees his teammate as the most dangerous rival now that Russell has seemingly found his ideal feeling with the W17. "He had an amazing weekend in Baku and certainly has the wind in his sails," the Italian acknowledged, while staying focused on bagging solid points this weekend with his eyes firmly on winning.
George Russell himself shared a renewed sense of confidence after returning to the top step in Azerbaijan. "The thing that has changed is that I feel my performances are solid enough that I can fight for victory week in, week out. I know what I need from the car and myself and I don't feel lost anymore. The confidence is back and growing again," Russell said. Asked about the title fight despite the large gap to his teammate, the Briton remained resolute: "There's still a third of the season to go and anything can happen. I'll take it one race at a time."
The changes made to the machine have made everything feel far more intuitive, allowing the English driver to focus purely on driving fast rather than over-analyzing setups. With the new upgrades potentially offering an extra edge, the fight for the remainder of the year is far from over.
