“We have a lame horse” - Russell’s frank assessment of the Mercedes W14

Mercedes started F1 2023 with the fourth-fastest car in Bahrain, finishing over 50 seconds behind eventual race winner Max Verstappen.

Since then, things have slowly improved for the team, with Lewis Hamilton finishing second at the Australian Grand Prix.

Even so, Mercedes are already pursuing a new design concept, with significant upgrades expected in the coming races as F1 returns to Europe.

In an interview with German publication Bild, Russell was asked whether the less competitive Williams cars he drove in his earlier career were easier to drive than this year’s Mercedes.

“It is comparable to riding a horse,” he said. “A Mercedes is a faster horse than a Williams. But it’s not just about speed.

“Riding a horse from A to B and it doesn’t zig is like sitting in a Formula 1 car that suits your driving style. One merges into another.

“At the moment, however, we have a lame horse. We know that it has a lot of performance in it, but it is not happy that someone wants to ride it and the way of riding style does not suit him either.

“It still has its own head, which sometimes runs the risk of throwing you off. 

“We still have to get used to each other and develop it so that it becomes fast and tame.”

Mercedes sit third in the F1 constructors’ standings after the opening three races, nine points behind Aston Martin.