George Russell has revealed the “absolutely brutal” training he has put in ahead of a Mercedes F1 promotion to team leader in 2025.
After three seasons as Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate, Russell is now the senior driver at Mercedes with Kimi Antonelli stepping in to replace new Ferrari recruit Hamilton.
Ahead of his first season in the senior driver role, Russell has detailed how he returned to training early and underwent “brutal” sessions.
“I started my physical preparation with Aleix [trainer] on 2 January,” he explained.
“We have done a few weeks now, the second week was absolutely brutal.
“We build into it, the last thing you want to do is go out too hard and injure yourself. I kept moving over the break anyway, keeping mobile to avoid sitting around all day doing nothing.
“Exercise for me is more than just a physique, it’s a great way of making me feel good and helps my mental health – that’s why I don’t want to stop.”
