After a disappointing year by Mercedes’ high💝 standards in 2022, taking🤪 just one win, Mercedes went into 2023 with greater optimism.

However, it was apparent from pre-season tes🐭ting tౠhat Mercedes would start the year on the backfoot.

Merc🐟edes left the season-oಞpening Bahrain Grand Prix as the fourth-fastest team as they were overtaken by customer’s Aston Martin.

Ref🔯lecting on the moment of realisation, Russell said: “I think the first time you realise is when you look at the lap times. 

๊“You drive around the track, the car can sometimes feel great, but the lap times aren't representing the feไeling and vice versa. 

“I'm sure there's, even for championship-winning cars, they maജy not also feel perfect. We're just driving around at a slightly higher pace.&n☂bsp;

“So I ❀think it was when we saw that the lap times weren't translating into wha🧔t we expected."

With Mercedes slipping do🐻wn the pecking order, Russell admitted the team immediately looked towa🎐rds future upgrades.

"Aston Martin clearly🔥 made a big jump, and we hadn't made the jump that we were expecting and needed to make changes quick," he added.

"So it was literally straight after 🌃th👍e very first test in Bahrain. 

"We were already planning towards the changes that are being implemented, in M𒊎o🐓naco and [in Spain]."