In an intriguing turn of events, there’s been a consistent pattern emerging between the duo, as Russell has managed to out-qualify Hamilton in every qualifying session held under the floodlights since Abu Dhabi 2022.
Facing a setback, Mercedes found themselves struggling with an overheating engine during the Bahrain race, relegating them to the position of the third-fastest team. This issue proved costly, as it hindered their ability to mount a serious challenge against Ferrari for a podium finish.
Looking ahead, 2024 is set to mark Hamilton’s final year with Mercedes. In light of this, Hill has issued a cautionary note to the seven-time world champion, advising him against falling prey to complacency.
“Do you remember when he’d sewn up the championship [in 2015], beat Nico [Rosberg], and then Nico won the next three races and then won the championship the following year? You know, you cannot afford to back off too much,” Hill stated.
“I think Lewis has got an abundance of talent, he could probably turn it on whenever he wants to, it’ll always be there – but it won’t. That’s the problem, it won’t always be there, because he’s getting on a bit.”
Traditionally, Hamilton has often found himself starting seasons at a disadvantage, especially in comparison to rivals like Nico Rosberg and Valtteri Bottas.
Drawing parallels to past seasons, Hill suggests that history might be repeating itself, noting Hamilton’s arrival in Bahrain with a demeanor he describes as “quite relaxed”.
He mentioned; “And so, there is an element of, I hope, he doesn’t slack off too much this year.
“He needs to really, this year, establish everything about him and if there’s opportunities – and I know he’ll do it – but he needs to not get outqualified by George every race, he needs to get up there and get the best results for Mercedes and then leave with a spring in his step, so that the challenge is still there.
“He might have been coming here [to Bahrain] quite relaxed, but he does tend to start a season quite relaxed, and then he just turns it up, after the summer break he comes back a little bit more angry, and the poor old team-mates get ground into the dirt. So we’ll see.”
