But when faced with open water, Russell has had to deal with his own anxieties. Mercedes recently announced Russell and compatriot Lewis Hamilton had signed two-year contract extensions. Russell says signing a new contract was “a very straightforward decision from both sides” and “almost a formality”. While Russell had no issue staying at Mercedes, he will certainly be expecting improvements in the car they offer him next year. But Mercedes have only been represented on the podium at four races in 2023, with Russell there just once after a third-place finish in Barcelona. Russell says his team are “not where we want to be right now” but believes they are “on the upwards turn of the cycle” towards the front of the grid. “It’s the landscape of Formula 1 at the moment,” he says.

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