There were expectations of a worthy fight between the youthful driver and the seasoned seven-time champion when George Russell joined Mercedes in 2022.
Russell has maintained a respectful distance from his far more seasoned partner, even if the two have shared some emotional moments together. The 26-year-old driver highlighted how Hamilton’s experience taught him a lot and commended it.
According to AMuS, Russell stated that his Mercedes teammate taught him a great deal within the first year. He said, “From my experience, I can say that I learned more in my first year alongside Lewis than in the three years at Williams.”
During Russell’s debut year, the Mercedes car was plagued with porpoising. Still, in the first year itself as teammates, Russell outscored Hamilton. However, reports suggest that both the Mercedes drivers were focused and working together on resolving the car’s issues. This arguably taught Russell a great deal.
Hamilton became the face of Mercedes in the 2010s, winning all those championships. However, with the seven-time champion moving to Ferrari, the baton has been passed on to Russell, who has been touted as the new leader of the team.
Back in 2021, Toto Wolff went against Hamilton’s request to keep Bottas and signed Russell alongside him for 2022. The 39-year-old wanted the Finnish driver to stay, but Wolff was thinking of the team’s future and saw a top driver in Russell.
Being the lead driver on the team isn’t just about scoring the points and challenging for the championship. One has to lead by example and push the whole team towards success and excellence.
All great lead drivers like Michael Schumacher, Max Verstappen, and Hamilton consistently keep asking their team for more, but at the same time are understanding of the challenges.
Hamilton has always managed to keep the morale of the team high even in tough times. The seven-time champion always appreciated the work done by the employees behind the scenes regardless of the result.
Russell hasn’t yet been the lead driver at Mercedes and will have to take over the responsibilities. Although Kimi Antonelli is stepping in to replace Hamilton, Russell will be the driver Mercedes rely upon in terms of technical feedback and leading the team’s championship charge.
