P1racenews AI automatic summary:
George Russell is entering his first season as Mercedes team leader in 2025, and wants to avoid some old traps.
George Russell believes that Mercedes can avoid repeating past mistakes in Formula 1 with their new disciplined approach. The team struggled with the ground-effects era and has faced challenges adapting to the 2022 regulations as the sport heads into the final season of the current rules cycle. Despite winning five races since 2021, the W15 faced difficulties in finding its optimum performance, prompting Russell to lead a more refined strategy to prevent falling into old traps. Mercedes has prioritized thoroughness and discipline in their approach, focusing on simulator running to avoid unforeseen issues and anticipate future challenges. The team is preparing for significant changes in the upcoming season, aiming to address current issues without inadvertently creating new ones, emphasizing the need for forward-thinking and careful adjustments to the car’s characteristics.
