Mercedes seems to have had a remarkable turnaround since the start of the 2024 season. At the start of the campaign, they were fighting for the lower end of points. Cut to the Canadian GP, they are fighting Max Verstappen and Red Bull for pole position. After a sensational pole for George Russell in Montreal on Saturday, the next target for the Briton is to be the next man to beat Verstappen to a race win.
When asked about the same in the post-qualifying interview, Russell replied (as quoted on X), “Why not? Of course, let’s go for it. I think the car has been feeling amazing. Since we bought some upgrades to Monaco, we’ve sort of really been in that fight now. So, we’re going for it tomorrow”.
#CanadianGP | George Russell when asked if he can keep Max behind:
“Why not? Of course. Let’s go for it. I think the car has been feeling amazing. Since we bought some upgrades to Monaco, we’ve sort of really been in that fight now. So, we’re going for it tomorrow.” pic.twitter.com/Y7anvfvuql
— deni (@fiagirly) June 9, 2024
Russell is confident of beating Verstappen for the win after there was literally nothing to separate them during qualifying. Both drivers registered the same lap time to the thousandth of a second. However, since Russell registered it first, he qualified on pole, with Verstappen P2.
Another thing that may give Russell and Mercedes confidence in grabbing the win is that Verstappen himself was surprised to see how quick he was during qualifying. After the session, the Dutchman admitted that he did not expect to match the #63 driver.
George Russell could be 2024’s fifth different winner
In the entirety of the 2023 season, only three different drivers won a race. Max Verstappen won 19 of the 22 races, while his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez won two of them. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz managed to win the Singapore Grand Prix, being the only non-Red Bull winner.
However, in 2024, there have already been four different winners including the Dutchman. After the first eight races, Verstappen has won five of them. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris have won one each.
The progress keeps on coming for Mercedes
And George is in fighting form for tomorrow’s Grand Prix #F1 #CanadianGP pic.twitter.com/wZBhU3UTX2
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 8, 2024
Now, it will be interesting to see if Russell can be the next man to beat Verstappen and become 2024’s fifth different race winner. By the evidence of the pace of the W15 this weekend in Montreal, the Briton is indeed the favorite to win the race.
If Russell does manage to cross the chequered flag in P1, it will be only his second F1 victory. His first win came at the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix, which also happens to be Mercedes’ last win and their only win in the ground effect era.
