George Russell, the Mercedes driver who finished ahead of his teammate Lewis Hamilton in the championship last year, has spoken honestly about his relationship with the seven-time world champion. In an interview with Auto Motor und Sport, Russell analyzed his partnership with Hamilton, highlighting the importance of working together for the team’s benefit.
Russell suggested that conflicts between Hamilton and his previous teammates, such as Nico Rosberg and Fernando Alonso, may have arisen due to a fight for supremacy within the team.
“If there were problems with driver pairings in the past, it was perhaps also because the age difference was smaller”
“There was a fight for supremacy in the team. We don’t have that.”
However, with Russell and Hamilton, there is no such issue, as they are working together to move the team forward.
The young driver also acknowledged the importance of maintaining a good relationship with Hamilton, as any deterioration would not do the team any good in the long run. Russell also spoke about his victory over Hamilton in Brazil, stating that it was more important to him than finishing ahead of Hamilton in the points classification.
Looking forward to the 2023 season, Russell expressed his optimism and readiness to fight for the championship. However, he acknowledged that the competition will be tough, and the team cannot be sure of what their rivals have done to improve their performance.
“I am sure that we will improve compared to last year. But we don’t know what everyone else has done. And that’s the problem. It’s a relative game.”
“I feel ready to fight for the championship.”
Russell’s honest assessment of his partnership with Hamilton highlights the importance of teamwork and a positive relationship between teammates for the benefit of the team as a whole.
