George Russell has dismissed his chances of clinching the 2025 Formula 1 world championship.
Despite driving one of the grid's top cars and delivering standout performances—only missing the podium at Suzuka so far—the Mercedes driver remains skeptical about his title prospects. That is despite the fact that he trails reigning champion Max Verstappen by just 6 points, has amassed over twice the points of talented rookie teammate Kimi Antonelli, and is a mere 14 points behind the championship leader.
Rumours suggest the 27-year-old is on track for a substantial two or three-year Mercedes contract extension, buoyed by glowing praise from team boss Toto Wolff.
Yet Russell remains grounded. "I'd love to say so, but I don't think we are (title contenders), to be honest," he said.
"McLaren are just too dominant right now," he added.
Reflecting on Bahrain's hot, high-traction conditions, Russell noted: "McLaren was at peak performance."
"And what we saw in China and Suzuka is probably their worst-case scenario and they still obviously got one victory from those two races," he continued.
"In Bahrain we picked up the pieces to get a P2, and we did it in Melbourne as well to get the P3," he said. "But I don't expect this to continue for many races to come," he cautioned.
"Who knows," he added.
Russell, however, is no stranger to his situation. "The last three years alongside Lewis (Hamilton), neither his or my name was ever mentioned as a title contender," he said.
"This year, our start to the season has been fantastic. I don't think we could have done better than we did. But we also know that the McLarens are incredibly strong. It's going to be a huge task for anyone to fight them."
Despite the challenge, the three-time grand prix winner remains content. "As a driver, my dream has already come true," said Russell. "The reality is that if we want to fight for the championship this year, we have to improve. But I'm not looking for external recognition. I just want to race every weekend, perform, and do my job."
