In recent months, George Russell has been feeling the heat of millions of Lewis Hamilton fans after orchestrating bitter on-track moments. The young British driver, more often than not, got his elbows out against his own teammate, which eventually spurred a variety of theories from the fans and pundits.
Some suggested that Russell was narrow-minded, ignoring the bigger picture and instead, seeking a way to stamp his authority over the seven-time world champion. There were other similar theories too, but, a majority of them pointed to the fact that Russell was anything but a team player. However, the reality is seemingly far from it after Russell reflected on his journey with Mercedes and their lead driver, Hamilton.
Despite the recent shenanigans, Russell admitted that Hamilton is the greatest of all time and further shed light on his gratefulness to have worked alongside such an immensely talented individual. The former Williams driver also hailed Hamilton as one of the fewest drivers that could still win a world championship title with the “best car.”
Not only does it sound like Russell is worshipping the Mercedes legend, but it also sounds like he is prepared for the worst if at all Mercedes magically finds itself back at the top of the pecking order next season.
Is George Russell sensing the resurgence of Lewis Hamilton?
Toto Wolff has been hinting at a potential comeback by Mercedes as early as the 2024 F1 season, and assuming the reality has a similar outcome, there is no denying that the Austrian would want to place Hamilton at the front of the pack and seek redemption for the 2021 Abu Dhabi heartbreak. Hence, amidst such a crucial phase ahead, Russell had a heap of praise for Hamilton.
“I can very very confidently sit here and say there’s probably five drivers on this grid that if you put them in the best car, they will win the championship,” he told F1’s Beyond the Grid podcast. “Of course, Lewis is one of those guys [and] if I’m going head to head to him week in week out, that gives me the benchmark. I don’t think I’ve been pushed, in my whole career, like I’ve been pushed in this last year and a half.”
#F1: George Russell: “I can very very confidently sit here and say there’s probably five drivers on this grid that if you put them in the best car, they will win the championship.”
“Of course, Lewis is one of those guys [and] if I’m going head to head to him week in week out,…
— deni (@fiagirly) October 4, 2023
Overall, Russell has finally acknowledged the quality that Hamilton brings to the table, and having to compete alongside such a resilient racing driver could well be the toughest challenge Russell has ever faced in his entire motorsport career. But, can he ever defeat the 38-year-old?