George Russell comments about Lewis Hamilton speak volumes after Mercedes exit
George Russell offered up some interesting comments on Lewis Hamilton.
George Russell has hinted that his performance against Lewis Hamilton during their three years as Mercedes team-mates stands him in good stead for a head-to-head battle against Max Verstappen. The British racer is enjoying a fine 2025 campaign, and has established himself as one of the most consistent talents on the F1 grid. When Russell replaced Valtteri Bottas at the start of the 2022 season, the expectation was that he would learn under the wing of seven-time world champion Hamilton.
However, it quickly became clear that the man from King’s Lynn was an immediate threat to his legendary new team-mate. Over the three years they spent together at Mercedes, Russell had Hamilton’s number when it came to qualifying, dominating the intra-team battle on Saturdays. On Sundays, the seven-time world champion often came scything through the field, making the battle a more even one.
Asked what his performances in comparison to Hamilton’s say about his talent, Russell replied: “I’ll leave that to your assessment. I just drive, week after week. I've always said that I'm not afraid of being someone's teammate. At the end of 2021, Lewis was the hottest stock in the field.
“No one would have thought that someone at Mercedes could beat him as a teammate. I came in and performed from the first race. I always believed in myself. The reputation he had is the same one Max has now. No one believes that Max is beatable. And the same was thought about Lewis back then.
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“People forget that Lewis came into Formula One as a rookie - and was on the podium every time in his first six races (nine), with a two-time world champion as teammate. That says a lot.”
Despite the confidence that going toe-to-toe with Hamilton has afforded Russell, the two former team-mates have a strong personal relationship. According to the 27-year-old, they have grown closer since the Stevenage-born racer moved to Ferrari during the off-season.
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“If anything, it's even gotten a little tighter,” he explained. “We sometimes fly together, [and] even off-track [we] talk to each other more often. We just have a good relationship. Lewis is someone whose company I really appreciate.
“Of course, he is extremely in the spotlight, more than all of us, and sometimes a protective shield goes up. But in a familiar setting, he's someone I get along with really well. It's nice to have someone like him, someone I also ask for advice from time to time because he is in a completely different phase of his career.”
