Russell: McLaren’s true pace yet to be revealed

George Russell believes Formula 1 fans have yet to witness "the best of McLaren" despite the Woking-based team's dominant start to the 2025 season.

The Mercedes driver issued this stark assessment following the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.

McLaren currently leads the Constructors' Championship by a commanding 36 points after just three races.

This impressive gap has established them as the team to beat early in the season, with many paddock insiders considering their car the strongest overall package on the grid.

Russell's personal form

The British driver has made his best career start to a Formula 1 campaign, accumulating 45 points across the opening three Grands Prix.

This promising beginning comes after Russell acknowledged previous consistency issues in his performance.

"I think in the last couple of years, I've not been very consistent myself, and it's something I've wanted to work on – maybe having less of a sort of fluctuation [in form],"

Russell told Sky Sports F1.

His improved consistency has translated into strong results, though Russell remains measured in his assessment of both personal and team performance so far.

Weather factor

Russell pointed to a specific factor potentially masking the true competitive order – temperature.

The opening races of the 2025 season have been contested in notably cooler conditions, a scenario that has historically favored Mercedes.

"It's been three cold races, we've been wearing jackets here [in Suzuka] and last week,"

Russell observed, highlighting the unusual weather patterns that have characterized the early season events.

These cooler temperatures might be flattering Mercedes while potentially holding back some of their rivals' performance, particularly McLaren.

McLaren's threatening potential

Despite McLaren's early supremacy, with Lando Norris leading the Drivers' Championship ahead of Max Verstappen and teammate Oscar Piastri, Russell believes their true advantage remains concealed.

"I don't think we've seen the best of McLaren yet,"

Russell warned.

"I think when we go to Bahrain and Saudi [Arabia] in 35 degrees, I think that's where we're going to see those guys excel."

This prediction suggests a potentially worrying scenario for Mercedes and other competitors as the calendar shifts toward traditionally hotter venues in the coming rounds.

Keeping perspective

Despite his strong personal start, Russell maintains a pragmatic outlook on the championship battle ahead.

"I'm keeping my feet on the ground,"

the Mercedes driver emphasized.

"It's been a great first three races, 21 to go, it's still early days."

With the upcoming races expected to present different challenges and potentially reveal the true competitive order, Russell's cautious approach reflects the unpredictable nature of the 2025 Formula 1 season and McLaren's threatening potential.