Lewis Hamilton praised his relationship with George Russell and believes that the young driver, besides having the potential to lead Mercedes, can also become a world champion in the future
One of the big questions for the 2022 Formula One season was what the relationship between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell at Mercedes would be like. And after 11 races working together, the seven-time champion has revealed that it is very friendly. He even praised the 24-year-old driver, saying he is an important piece of leadership for the Brackley-based team in the future.
"I'm not going to say it's been difficult [being Russell's teammate]. It's been enjoyable, we've worked together incredibly well," Hamilton said. "George has been super positive, he's had a positive impact on the working environment. It's been a real pleasure working with him and it's been great to see his success. He's done a great job, got some great points for the team and will continue to improve for a long time to come," he added.
"I definitely see that he has a lot of potential [to be world champion] and he's in the right place for that as well.I really think that whether I'm here or not, he has all the qualities to help take this team forward in the future and lead it to success, so I think he was the right choice for the team. Hopefully I can help a little bit to see him progress," Lewis followed.
Russell has had a standout season. Although Mercedes has been trying to fix the W13's problems since the start of the season, the Briton has scored in 10 of the 11 races so far - each time finishing in the top-5. The only time he has been out of the scoring zone was in England, when he dropped out.
Even though he appreciates having risen to one of the grid's powerhouses, George believes there is a long way to go. "It was a big step in my career, but it's like the image of a guy climbing a mountain - he thinks he's at the top, but when he looks up, the peak is miles away. When you get there, there is another mountain. That's kind of how I see it. There is a lot to celebrate at a moment like this. I want to be a world champion, I want to win races, and signing this contract doesn't guarantee anything," he commented in an interview with the Beyond The Grid podcast.