George Russell delivered a quietly effective performance at the rain-affected 2025 F1 Belgian GP. Securing a solid fifth-place finish amid chaotic and changing conditions. Starting from sixth on the grid, Russell quickly made progress by overtaking Alex Albon early in the race. And was part of the leading group that timed their switch to slick tyres perfectly as the track began to dry.
While the front four of Piastri, Norris, Leclerc, and Verstappen pulled away, Russell remained unchallenged in P5., driving a composed and strategic race. There was no serious threats from behind and was unable to bridge the gap to the leaders. He brought his Mercedes home comfortably in the top five, earning crucial points in a weekend that demanded precision and patience.
Mercedes’ suffering from a lack of pace
Despite the solid points haul, Russell admitted after the race that it was a frustrating and “underwhelming” experience behind the wheel. Speakin post-race, he highlighted Mercedes’ lack of pace in recent rounds. Noting that while the mixed conditions at Spa typically suit the team, they were simply not competitive enough.
Russell revealed that a major meeting is planned with the team’s designers and engineers. To review recent technical decisions and try to pinpoint why performance has regressed. With the Hungarian Grand Prix looming, Russell expressed hope that the team can identify solutions and return to form.
“Yeah, it was pretty underwhelming, to be honest. Because we tend to favour the call of condition so we couldn’t have really asked for a better weather for us. But we’ve just had no pace recently, we need to sit down, all of us. We’re going to have a big meeting this week with all the designers and engineers to sort of understand the decisions we’ve made in recent weeks or months. And why we’ve gone backwards so, hoping for some improvements in Hungary.”
Car performance crucial for a good result
Russell acknowledged that while Kimi Antonelli appears to be having a tough time, the reality is more nuanced. He explained that Antonelli’s performance hasn’t worsened compared to earlier in the season. Rather, the team’s overall decline has exaggerated the perception of his struggles. For instance, Russell pointed out that although Antonelli was knocked out in Q1 at the F1 Belgian GP, he was only three-tenths of a second behind.
In contrast, back in Canada, Antonelli was six-tenths off yet still qualified fourth because the car was far more competitive. According to Russell, this highlights how crucial car performance is in shaping perceived form. Although the situation is understandably frustrating for both drivers and the team, Russell emphasized that they are tackling the challenge together. He reiterated that collaboration and clarity will be key as Mercedes works to turn its season around.
“I mean the fact is he’s in terms of his own performance, it’s no worse, and it was no better no worse than at the start of the season. It’s just as a team we’ve gone backwards so he was out in Q1 yesterday. But he was only three tenths off me, in Canada he was six tenths off me, but I qualified pole, and he was P4. So the pace of the car has a big influence on how a driver’s performance is perceived, so of course it’s frustrating for me. It’s frustrating for him, it’s frustrating for us as a team, but we’re in it together ultimately, and we need to figure it out.”
P5 flattered Mercedes’ actual performance in Spa
Russell admitted that fifth place may have flattered Mercedes’ true performance at the F1 Belgian GP. Speaking after the race, he reiterated the team’s need to understand the reasons behind their recent loss of pace. While the result was the best, they could have hoped for under the circumstances, it didn’t mask the underlying issues.
He described the situation as frustrating for everyone involved. But took some satisfaction in knowing they had maximized what was available. As Mercedes continues to slide off the pace, Russell’s comments underscore the urgency within the team to regroup and find answers quickly.
“Yeah, for sure. We need to understand why we’ve lost so much pace in recent races. Of course, that’s frustrating for all of us as a team. P5 was probably flattering the real pace of the car, so I’m at least happy we got the maximum possible.”
Mercedes needs to get back to the performance of the beginning
Looking ahead, Russell identified a key turning point in Mercedes’ recent slump. He explained that the team made “a clear change of direction” a few months ago, and since then, performance has declined. While acknowledging that it can take a few races to fully grasp the causes of such a drop. He believes the evidence now shows they need to “revert back to what [they] had earlier in the season.”
Russell made it clear that understanding and correcting that decision will be crucial as the team looks to recover lost ground in the second half of the year.
“I mean, we made it clear change of direction a couple of months ago, and I think it’s been since that point we’ve taken a step backwards, so you know, it sometimes takes a few races to understand what the real reasons are for that lack of pace, but clearly it seems how we need to revert back to what we had earlier in the season.”
