George Russell has explained how he has developed a closer relationship with Lewis Hamilton since the seven-time champion’s move from Mercedes to Formula 1 rivals Ferrari.
The Briton has enjoyed a bright start to the season, sitting fourth in the Drivers’ Championship, 26 points behind Max Verstappen, despite Mercedes’ struggles in the recent triple-header.
Russell’s consistency has been a cornerstone of his campaign so far, something he has shown steadily since joining the German marque three years ago.
Up until this year, Hamilton had, of course, been Russell’s team-mate, and in an interview with Motorsport Total, he was asked if he had subsequently drifted apart from him after his switch to Maranello.
“No – if anything, it’s actually become a bit closer,” he said.
“We sometimes fly together and talk to each other more often off the track,” adding: “Lewis is someone whose company I really enjoy.
“Of course, he’s extremely in the limelight, more than any of us — and sometimes a protective shield goes up.
“But in an intimate setting, he’s someone I get on really well with. It’s nice to have someone like him, someone I can ask for advice from time to time, because he’s at a completely different stage in his career.”
Russell ‘not afraid’ of anyone
Russell defeated Hamilton twice in three seasons as team-mates, something nobody who had partnered Hamilton previously had managed to achieve.
For many, the fact of being able to out-score statistically the greatest driver of all time would be a huge confidence boost, but for Russell, he appears to take it all in his stride.
“I just ride, week in, week out,” he said. “I’ve always said that I’m not afraid to be anyone’s team-mate. At the end of 2021, Lewis was the hottest property in the field.
“Nobody would have thought that anyone at Mercedes could beat him as a team-mate. I came in and performed from the first race. I always believed in myself.
“The reputation he had is the same as Max has now. Nobody believes that Max is beatable. And people thought the same about Lewis back then.
“People forget that Lewis came into Formula 1 as a rookie and finished on the podium every time in his first [nine] races, with a two-time world champion as his team-mate. That says a lot.”
Russell also intimated that he is confident of being on the right path to claiming the World Championship soon in his career, and drew on the careers of some of the sport’s greats as a way of being realistic.
“Look at Fernando [Alonso]: He comes in, wins two titles in his first four years, and people say, ‘He’s going to get ten,’” Russell said. “He hasn’t won a title since.
“Or Sebastian [Vettel]: He wins four and then no more.
“If you look at Michael Schumacher, it took him five years at Ferrari before he won his first title there. This is now my fourth year at Mercedes, next year will be my fifth…”
The pattern doesn’t guarantee Russell will be competitive in year five, but as he reckons, “Nobody knows when their time will come.
“You just have to make sure that you keep performing consistently, keep delivering. And what happens then — only time will tell.”