Mercedes will embark on its first season without Lewis Hamilton for the first time since 2012, following his split to join Ferrari this season.
It is the first time Hamilton has driven without using a Mercedes engine in his F1 career, while for George Russell he will be paired with 18-year-old talent Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli set the pace in the morning of the first day of testing for Mercedes, with his time four-tenths faster than Hamilton in the Ferrari.
Alex Brundle thinks Antonelli hustling the Mercedes showed that he had confidence in the car, with it being the first time that he has properly driven the W16 having ran a handful of laps in a filming day.
The team is without a world champion driving for them for the first time in their history, which is having a profound effect on the ‘feeling’ within the team according to Russell when speaking to AMuS.
George Russell says Mercedes is ‘different team’ since Lewis Hamilton left
Hamilton has clearly had an impact since joining Ferrari according to former F1 driver Jean Alesi, who said he has ‘impressed everybody’ so far because of his work ethic.
Russell believes Mercedes has changed since Hamilton left the team, given his influence and personality are no longer part of their preparations.
“Naturally it does feel different. Lewis is such a big personality on and off the track but I think everybody within the team has the feeling that a new chapter is now beginning,”said Russell.
“As the team looks back on fond memories, I also feel grateful for being his teammate for three years. Learning so much from him but also going head to head with him for three years, it kind of feels like the end of a chapter, but then you’re looking forward to the next journey.”
Mercedes engineer outlines ‘primary focus’ on 2025 car
Mercedes has struggled in recent years to keep up with the front runners, largely due to the dramatic performance swings that their car experiences on race weekends.
Technical director James Allison says the team has focused on dialling out the ‘reluctance’ of the W15 to turn into slow corners, along with their problems with tyre temperatures.
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Mercedes often found that high track temperatures were unfavourable for them last year, with tracks like Austin and Qatar being notable standouts.
The team will be hopeful that testing will be straightforward and address their problems so they can kickstart on a high, given they will naturally be down without having Hamilton in the team.
