Despite "absolutely crazy" winds, the Mercedes W13 gets the thumbs up from George Russell following Silverstone shakedown.

Just a couple of hours after being revealed to the world, Mercedes 2022 contender took to a damp and very windy Silverstone, as the eight-time champions got their season preparations underway.

George Russell was first out before handing over to teammate Lewis Hamilton as the team now looks ahead to next week's test 'event' at Barcelona.

"The car handled I would say largely as we expected," said Russell, "but equally with these conditions, in the wet and with the wind, there's not a huge amount you can take with it.

"So far, we're in a good place," he added, "and I think we're in a good window ahead of Barcelona."

Having spent serious time testing the new car in the simulator, the Briton was asked how it compares with the real thing.

"It was very much in line with what we saw in with the simulator," he replied, "and I will be going back and correlating this afternoon.

"It's going to be a constant learning process," he admitted. "I think we're all going to take today with a pinch of salt and just get through the programme, making sure the car runs OK, the drivers are comfortable, and we're in the best spot possible ahead of Barcelona."

While he has driven for Mercedes at tests and replaced Hamilton in Bahrain in 2020, today marked Russell's first appearance as a fully-fledged Mercedes race driver.

"This morning it gave me goosebumps when the car was fired up for the first time," he grinned. "I've driven so many laps in the simulator, I've seen so many drawings of it, I've had so many meetings about it, but there's nothing like going to a race track.

"It almost brings me back to my roots... a cold, wet, windy day at Silverstone, but here with the Mercedes Formula 1 team."

Check out our W13 gallery, here.