P1racenews AI automatic summary:
George Russell is seeking to repeat his strong performance 12 months ago in Las Vegas where he took to the top step of the podium.
George Russell acknowledges that Mercedes may not be as competitive in Las Vegas this year compared to their performance in 2024, despite his previous pole position and race victory.
Mercedes has historically performed well in cool conditions in Vegas, but Russell believes the team has developed the car to perform consistently across all conditions, potentially reducing their advantage in cooler temperatures.
Although Russell sees Vegas as a good opportunity due to the lack of tyre overheating issues, he anticipates that Mercedes may not be as dominant as last year due to improvements made for the longer 24-race season.
Russell emphasized the importance of strong qualifying performances in the final races to secure the runner-up spot in the constructors’ standings, as track position plays a crucial role in race outcomes.
He pointed out that if Mercedes outqualify their rivals, it limits the chances for wheel-to-wheel battles during the race, underscoring the significance of a solid qualifying session.
