George Russell believes that Red Bull stands a better chance of victory in Las Vegas than McLaren. The Mercedes driver does not expect the British team to easily become a direct competitor of the Silver Arrows during the night race in the desert city, as McLaren struggled earlier this year on circuits with characteristics similar to the Las Vegas Strip Circuit. “But you never know,” Russell quickly adds.
George Russell is returning this weekend to the place where he claimed the third victory of his F1 career a year ago. The Brit led the rest of the field by a comfortable seven seconds in 2024, with then-teammate Lewis Hamilton trailing behind him, to cross the finish line first. Whether Russell can repeat this feat this year, he is not so sure. “We have to be realistic: success a year ago does not mean you will be successful again a year later,” the Brit candidly shares in Las Vegas. “We won this year in Singapore and had a terrible race there last year – in 2024. So it doesn’t mean it will be the same this weekend.”
Red Bull Outperforms McLaren
Could it be McLaren once again claiming victory in the desert city? The British team struggled with the cool conditions last year, resulting in one of their weakest races of the year. Russell does not anticipate a significant turnaround for McLaren a season later. According to the driver, the Woking-based team will not be a formidable opponent on the Strip even in 2025. “If I exclude Mercedes and have to guess who would win this weekend, I think this is a circuit where McLaren will struggle more than usual,” concludes Russell.
“If you look at their performance in Canada: that was the only time they didn’t make it to the podium. And in Baku, it was the same, the only time they didn’t finish on the podium,” adds the Mercedes driver. According to Russell, the street circuit in Las Vegas shares similar characteristics with the two circuits where McLaren faltered. “Baku is similar to Las Vegas in that respect,” states the Brit. “But you never know. There are always surprises. In Q3, it’s so close nowadays between so many teams. If you can pull off a magical lap and start from pole, your entire weekend changes. McLaren will be there, but I think Max Verstappen has a better chance,” he judges.
