Russell: "Red Bull have got this championship sewn up"

George Russell has thrown in the towel after just one Grand Prix. Mercedes are not going to be world champions and neither are Ferrari and Aston Martin. The 24-year-old Briton is convinced that Red Bull Racing will clinch both world titles as it did in 2022.

"Red Bull have got this championship sewn up. I don't think anyone will be fighting with them this year. They should win every single race this year, is my bet", Russell is quoted by ESPN. The Mercedes driver himself finished no further than seventh at the Bahrain International Circuit. Teammate Lewis Hamilton finished fifth.

The ease with which Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez are driving the RB19 frightens Russell. "They've got it easy at the moment. They can do what they like. They might not be on pole all the time because we know Ferrari are very competitive in qualifying but when it comes to race pace they're in a very strong position."

Wolff not very happy

Toto Wolff also revealed earlier that he was shocked by how uncompetitive the W14 is. "There is absolutely nothing positive we can take from this race. Red Bull is on another planet, Aston Martin has the second fastest car. This is a real wake-up call for us," concluded the German formation's team boss.