Mercedes had to wait until the Canadian Grand Prix in June for their first podium of the season. Since then, there has been no looking back as they have recorded three wins in the last four races with six consecutive podiums.
McLaren have also enjoyed a recent revival, which coupled with Red Bull’s downturn in form, means that fans have an exciting second half of the season to look forward to.
Russell, who was disqualified as a winner at Spa, is confident that Mercedes can mount a serious title challenge next season and use the remaining 10 races to build a solid platform for 2025.
He told Motorsport: “I think for all of us, it’s been a difficult couple of years getting the car into a place where we can consistently fight for victories.
“But, you know, I’m so motivated, so excited for the second half of the season, which is ultimately building up towards 2025.
“And when you look at the competition now, you know, there’s no reason why we can’t fight.
“And if the season started in Montreal, the championship standings would be looking very, very different. So, you know, it’s going to be great.
“There’s so much, I think there’s so much motivation from all the other teams to get back to the front, from McLaren, from Ferrari, from ourselves.
“So for sure, it’s not going to be easy. And, you know, hopefully we see a good fight on our hands into next year.”
