George Russell said on Thursday that being labelled the favourite for this year’s Formula One world championship is flattering, but insisted the tag “doesn’t change anything” as he prepares for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

The Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team driver and his team impressed during pre-season testing in Bahrain, completing a heavy programme of laps while posting strong times and showing notable speed and reliability.

That form has led many in the paddock — as well as bookmakers — to tip Mercedes and Russell as early frontrunners for the championship.

“It doesn’t change anything. I think there’s a lot of chat around us and Mercedes. And take it as a compliment, I guess,” Russell said ahead of the race in Melbourne.

“You know, once the helmet’s on, you’re just flat out, and you don’t really think about any of this additional noise. So just taking it race by race and see how we go.

“No matter how this weekend goes, it is a 24-race season, it is very demanding on everybody,” he added.

“And a lot can change between now and Abu Dhabi.”

Under the leadership of team principal Toto Wolff, Mercedes dominated the sport between 2014 and 2021, winning eight consecutive constructors’ championships and seven drivers’ titles during that era.

However, since Russell joined the team in 2022, Mercedes have struggled to consistently match the pace of rivals such as Red Bull Racing and McLaren.

A major overhaul of Formula One’s technical regulations for the new season — including significant changes to engines and chassis — has offered teams a fresh start. Russell, who finished fourth in last year’s drivers’ standings, admitted there remains an “element of the unknown” heading into the opening race.

Still, the Briton believes Mercedes are entering the campaign better prepared than in recent seasons.

“There’s no items on the car that have been of major worry to us. Everything’s working as expected,” he said.

Despite the encouraging signs, Russell warned that the first race of the year can be unpredictable, particularly with new regulations placing greater emphasis on energy management.

“I think you can get tripped up by any small error. So there’s no time to relax during a race, during qualifying, pit stops, things that once were quite straightforward,” he explained.

“Parts of racing are now very complicated. However, to this point now, I think we’ve done the most preparation possible. We feel in a good place.”