George Russell has insisted there is “no reason” to disagree with team-mate Lewis Hamilton should Mercedes F1 return to the title fight in 2023.
A massive regulation overhaul has shaken up the pecking order drastically, with Mercedes F1 having a very difficult season trailing rivals Red Bull and Ferrari for much of 2022 as the third fastest team, George Russell and Lewis. teammates with Hamilton.
Despite a challenging season, George Russell impressed in his debut season with Mercedes F1, finishing the season in a career best 4th in the drivers’ standings. F1’s maiden win at the Sao Paulo GP was the team’s first and last win of the season.
George Russell, 24, has expressed confidence in maintaining a healthy relationship with seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton.
“If you’re doing one-two, the dynamics are a little different, but that’s to be expected,” Russell told Crash.net.
“But I think we’re at very different stages in our careers. I feel like we’re really working together in a way.”
“When next year we have a car capable of achieving a one-two, we will be proud to have contributed together to help the team achieve it. Then we can go about our business. We will be able to”
“But there’s no reason to be against each other. We have a good relationship. We have to respect each other. I think we respected each other in Mexico as an example.”
“The whole team recognizes the importance of it. If our relationship starts to break down, it will affect the team and eventually it will completely circulate and affect us as well.”
“I think we can continue to build on it. If anything, our relationship will only get closer as time goes on.”
George Russell finished two places ahead of Lewis Hamilton by 35 points. He became the third driver to beat Hamilton in the same car during an F1 season, after Jenson Button in 2011 and Nico Rosberg in 2016.
But George Russell has repeatedly downplayed the importance of finishing ahead of Lewis Hamilton during his first season at Mercedes.
Asked if he was personally happy with his performance against Lewis Hamilton, George Russell said: “I’m certainly happy with my personal performance to some extent.
“It’s no secret that Lewis had a bit of a rough run at the start of the season, and maybe that gave him the opportunity to score a few more points, but equally, it’s pretty even between the two of us. And this is good for me.”
“Racing drivers want to be the fastest every time they take to the track, and fairness is also a difficult pill to swallow because we believe in ourselves and make the most of it. Because I always believe I can take advantage of it.”
“But when you have someone like Lewis by your side and you perform at such a high level, once a week, week after week, you can’t be the fastest on the team every week.”
“The points we have collected this year would have been enough to finish third in last year’s championship. thinking”
Category: F1 / George Russell / Lewis Hamilton / mercedes
