George Russell is confident that he can win a world championship title as he gears up for his seventh season in Formula One next weekend. 

Russell has claimed three victories and 15 career podiums, all of which have come with Mercedes as he takes on the role of the elder statesman this campaign. 

Though only 27-years-old, the Briton will be the most experienced driver in the Mercedes garage, with teenage Kimi Antonelli replacing Lewis Hamilton for the 2025 season. 

Russell's confidence has been nurtured by the time he spent at Mercedes as team-mate to seven-time world champion Hamilton, with last year particularly impressive. 

"I know my time will come," Russell said in an interview with BBC Sport. "And I've just got to ensure that I keep on performing. And whether it's this year or next year, it'll come.

"And if I keep delivering those results, as I did over these last three years, against the best driver of all time, I believe I will get myself in the fight and hopefully a world championship to my name."

Indeed, Russell became the first driver in Hamilton's 18-year career to comprehensively beat the Briton in qualifying over a full season. The head-to-head score was 19-five to Russell, at an average advantage of 0.171 seconds a lap.

Over & out, testing Let the season begin. pic.twitter.com/l8h2ToZsGE

— George Russell (@GeorgeRussell63) February 28, 2025

And over their three years together since 2022, Russell finished ahead in the championship in two of them, including a 22-point gap between the pair last campaign. 

"The results speak for themselves. And I don't have anything I need to prove or show," Russell said. "I am proud of the results I achieved going up against somebody like Lewis.

"At the end of 2021, statistically and in terms of perception, Lewis was the greatest of all time.

"And I've had three years against the greatest of all time, and I finished ahead of him in two out of the three years I had as team-mates. And finished ahead more times in 'quali' and more times in the race.

"If this was a different time or a different era, if you finish ahead of Lewis Hamilton, you're a world champion."

But Russell will enter the new season still not on speaking terms with Max Verstappen after the pair clashed at the Qatar Grand Prix last year. 

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has expressed his desire to welcome the reigning champion to Mercedes, though has said he is happy with his current line-up moving forward.

If Wolff succeeds in signing Verstappen, one of the current drivers - both of whom have been nurtured by the team for years - would have to find a seat elsewhere.

Russell is aware of this as a potential scenario, but professes not to be remotely concerned about it.

"I don't think there's any pressure whatsoever," Russell said. "All I need to do is continue doing what I'm doing, continue doing what I've done my whole career.

"So that changes nothing. And it's not even something I'm thinking about. Because I 100% back myself. It's as simple as that. You perform and everything will be there for you.

"I want to go up against the best. I don't feel that my ability is in question."