MONTREAL - George Russell says there's no need to panic as Mercedes heads into the Canadian Grand Prix weekend with their first major upgrade of the season.
Russell, 20 points behind championship leader and teammate Kimi Antonelli, arrives at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve after McLaren and Ferrari introduced upgrades in Miami. The Briton says the numbers look promising but acknowledges there are unknowns until the car hits the track.
Mercedes sees race starts as their clearest weakness. Russell notes short-term gains will be difficult but expects Montreal to offer a stronger platform than Miami, pointing out the track has suited the team's car for the last two years.
Antonelli, 19, arrives as championship leader after a stunning start to the season, chasing his fourth consecutive Formula One win. The Italian can join an elite list of active drivers-Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, and Max Verstappen-with four straight victories. He says he's trying to focus race by race, not on the championship.