George Russell wary of incoming problem for Mercedes after Japanese GP

George Russell knows that Mercedes may encounter new problems after the F1 Japanese Grand Prix.

Russell finished fifth at Suzuka on Sunday, one place ahead of teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli - exactly the positions they had qualified in.

But an issue with temperatures could be looming, ahead of next weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix, which Russell knows is problematic.

“We haven’t seen the best of McLaren yet,” he told Sky Sports.

“It has been three cold races, we are wearing jackets.

“When we go to Bahrain and Saudi in 35 degrees, that’s where we will see those guys excel.

“We have always been pretty strong in the cooler conditions so I am keeping my feet on the ground.”

Jacques Villeneuve added: “A lot of teams suffer in the heat.

“The cooler it is, the more downforce you have. Everything works better.

“So it masks the problems that you have. A good car will still be a good car. But a car with issues will get into a window where the issues are not apparent - until Bahrain.”

George Russell admits flaw 'I wanted to work on'

The Mercedes W16 could, therefore, face a major test of its performance levels when the heat is quite literally turned up in Bahrain next week, and in Saudi Arabia seven days later.

At the Japanese Grand Prix, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen ran out as winner ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

A healthy P5 for Russell keeps him fourth in the drivers’ championship - behind the Japan podium trio, who have won a race apiece this season so far.

Russell is in best-of-the-rest territory after the first three rounds of the 2025 F1 season, his first as Mercedes’ senior driver after Lewis Hamilton’s exit.

Russell said about the Japanese Grand Prix: “It was really difficult. The last two weekends were an easy one-stop strategy.

“When the circuits get resurfaced, you need to bring softer tyres because that hard tyre can go forever. We pushed so far, so hard, but you couldn’t overtake.

“I didn’t have the pace of the top three but I matched the pace of Charles, and I couldn’t get by.

“The last couple of years I have not been consistent myself, and it’s something I wanted to work on. To not have fluctuations.

“It has been a solid start to the year. I am happy, I don’t think we could’ve achieved a better result in the first two races. Today P4 probably would have been a fair result but we came home in P5.”