George Russell commended Lewis Hamilton’s “professionalism” while elucidating Mercedes’ strategy regarding upgrades and opportunities in light of Hamilton’s imminent move to Ferrari.
In the 2024 Formula 1 season, Hamilton’s final one with Mercedes, the seven-time World Champion confirmed his transition to Ferrari starting from 2025.
This unexpected announcement raised numerous questions about Mercedes’ approach to their partnership with Hamilton in his final year, especially given that Ferrari is his next destination.
Hamilton’s lackluster performance at the start of the 2024 season, notably being outpaced by Russell in both qualifying and race settings in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, intensified the scrutiny.
David Coulthard, a 13-time Grand Prix winner, suggested that Hamilton was already mentally focused on his future with Ferrari.
Contrary to speculations, Russell emphasized that Hamilton remains “incredibly professional,” and there have been no discernible changes in the dynamics of the working relationship between the team and the driver.
“I think since Lewis’ news, I think Lewis has been incredibly professional with the team and the working relationship with everybody within Mercedes is like nothing has changed whatsoever,” Russell stated ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.
This extends to Mercedes’ treatment of their drivers. Instead of favoring Russell as their future racer, he emphasized that both himself and Hamilton are given “equal opportunities.” This principle also applies to the allocation of upgrades for the W15 challenger as they become available.
“And the team have been so great,” Russell added. “They’ve given us both equal opportunities. It’s always been that from the outset.
“And whenever upgrades are bringing [sic] to the car, it’s going to both of us at the same time, whereas other teams they go one before the other.”
Russell affirmed that this policy will persist beyond the current season, even as he faces his new Mercedes teammate. Speculation surrounds potential candidates for the vacant position, with names like Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz, Alex Albon, Esteban Ocon, and Kimi Antonelli all being linked to the opportunity.
“And that’s always the way at Mercedes,” Russell stated. “They want to give both drivers the best chance of achieving the best results and then going into next year, no matter who my team-mate is going to be, that will still continue to be the same.”
Russell’s agreement with Mercedes is valid until the conclusion of the 2025 season.
