George Russell SHOCKINGLY claims it’s ‘good Lewis Hamilton is leaving’ the Mercedes F1 team

Lewis Hamilton is set to join Scuderia Ferrari in 2025.

George Russell SHOCKINGLY claims it’s ‘good Lewis Hamilton is leaving’ the Mercedes F1 team

George Russell and Lewis Hamilton (via Imago)

Mercedes F1 driver, George Russell has deemed the departure of Lewis Hamilton as being good for the team. Hamilton announced earlier that he would be joining Ferrari next season after 11 glorious years with the Silver Arrows.

Lewis Hamilton has been an influential driver for Mercedes, winning six drivers championships ever since his joining in 2013. However, the 39-year-old has not had a good run of form since the end of the 2021 season, when he missed out on the world championship in the very last lap to Max Verstappen.

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George Russell shares that Hamilton was an important part of their rebuild after the introduction of the new regulations in 2022. The former then went on to say now that Mercedes is on the right track, it would be better for the team to work in a way that does not involve the process revolving around Hamilton.

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It’s a fresh start for the team. So many people here have shared success with Lewis, but change often ignites a new spark for everyone. It does that for Lewis, and it sparks that for us here next year. It is good that Lewis is leaving us now — rather in 2021, when it would have been difficult for the whole team. You have to adopt and evolve, and we are in that process of building from the ground up.
George Russell said in an interview with MailSport.

Mercedes has not had an encouraging start to this season but is currently on a rebuild and reassessment of their lacking race pace and car balance. They will look to perfect these issues in due time for the upcoming races if they wish to bounce back into a challenging position for the title.

Toto Wolff speaks on equal treatment of drivers in Mercedes

Mercedes Team Principal, Toto Wolff has set the record straight with rumors of preferential treatment of his drivers. This comes after Hamilton’s statement about Russell being preferred over him during qualifying at the Monaco Grand Prix.

Toto Wolff
Toto Wolff (via IMAGO)
I think as a team we have demonstrated, even in the most tense competitions between team-mates, that we are trying to always balance it right, and be transparent and fair. I think there was not a moment, apart from the 2016 Abu Dhabi GP, where we tried to manage a race, and we haven't done since then. But as a team we are 100% on a mission of giving the two drivers two great cars, the best possible cars and best possible strategies and support.
Toto Wolff said post the race in Monaco.

Lewis Hamilton said after Monaco qualifying that Russell would get the better advantage out of the two because of the induction of a new front wing, which helped him improve his pace. Hamilton has been out-qualified by the younger Brit in seven out of eight races this season.

Toto Wolff, therefore, clarified that both the drivers of the team have always gotten the same treatment and that drivers can be a bit skeptical at times when they do not perform well. The upcoming races of the season will test the abilities of Russell and Hamilton in scoring points and podiums, something that has been lacking for the team this campaign.

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