Mercedes’ George Russell has suggested that his mindset is no different now to what it was at Williams since he joined Mercedes.
The Briton spent three years at the Grove outfit and perennially impressed as he out-qualified teammates Robert Kubica and Nicholas Latifi 57 times in 59 races.
He managed his first-ever Williams points in Budapest last year just weeks before his first podium at the bizarre Belgian Grand Prix after a stunning qualifying lap in wet conditions.
His talent has been conspicuous since the beginning of his career in 2019, and he has now been signed by the Silver Arrows to replace Valtteri Bottas after he left for Alfa Romeo.
He has previously stated that he wants to hit the ground running and win races from the off, but a title challenge is not something that he has on his mind.
“It’s not even something I’m thinking about, to be honest,” he told RacingNews365.com.
Despite the inevitable added pressure of going to the front of the grid from the back, the Briton notes that a driver’s mindset remains largely the same throughout.
“I think it’s quite incredible how racing drivers’ minds work, that when you put the helmet on, it doesn’t matter if you’re fighting for the win, or – for me for the last few years – fighting at the back of grid,” he explained.
“You always go in with the exact same mindset.”
He cited his appearance at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix when he filled in for the ill Sir Lewis Hamilton, and performed exquisitely during the race before a string of horrendous misfortune ultimately cost him a fairy-tale victory.
“I had the best example of that in Bahrain when I raced for Mercedes,” he added.
“For me, that was just another race. When we [were] out in front or starting from the front row, the approach is the same, the mindset’s the same, the work you put into the event post-event is exactly the same.
“So [the approach is] working on the process, and worry about everything afterwards.”
Russell will partner Hamilton in 2022 as the pair aim to bring home the Brackley side’s record ninth consecutive Constructors’ Championship.
The 37-year-old will be eager to claim his eighth drivers’ success after cruelly losing out to Max Verstappen last season and, while they will both Mercedes drivers will ultimately have designs on competing for the ultimate prize, 1996 world champion Damon Hill has warned Russell not to attempt to “knock spots” off his compatriot.