Why George Russell is happy that Lewis Hamilton is leaving Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes exit has not demoralized George Russell who seems to be glad that the 39-year-old is leaving the team.

Why George Russell is happy that Lewis Hamilton is leaving Mercedes

George Russell and Lewis Hamilton (images via IMAGO)

Lewis Hamilton will race for Scuderia Ferrari in 2025. The seven-time world champion decided to leave Mercedes after spending over a decade at Brackley. Many believed that Hamilton’s departure would be a massive blow to the Silver Arrows. However, George Russell claimed that it was good that the 39-year-old was leaving.

Russell’s shocking comments could be interpretated in different manners. However, one must note that the 26-year-old has managed to match Lewis Hamilton ever since joining Mercedes in 2022. Moreover, George Russell took the team’s only victory in the Turbo Hybrid era at the 2022 Brazilian GP.

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On the other hand, Lewis Hamilton has often expressed his frustration over Mercedes’ struggles in F1’s new era. The 39-year-old has failed to win a single race since 2021. This undoubtedly has had a huge impact on Hamilton’s morale. As such, it is not surprising that George Russell was not disappointed to see the seven-time world campion join Ferrari next year.

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Mercedes to have a fresh start with George Russell at the helm

George Russell has been part of the Mercedes family for several years. The 26-year-old made his debut with Williams in 2019 before finally being promoted to Brackley in 2022. There have been no doubts that Russell was the future leader of the Silver Arrows. However, as long as Lewis Hamilton was at the team, the seven-time world champion remained the team leader.

george russell and toto wolff
George Russell and Toto Wolff (via IMAGO)

Now, after Hamilton’s exit, Russell would finally get adequate control to build the team around him, similar to Max Verstappen at Red Bull. It is likely that Mercedes would sign Kimi Antonelli to partner George Russell next season, further allowing the 26-year-old to solidify himself as the main driver at the Silver Arrows.

Lewis Hamilton has struggled since the 2022 season. Moreover, Hamilton even labeled 2024 as his ‘worst-ever start’ to an F1 season. The 39-year-old has remained honest with the team. However, one could argue that this has impacted the morale of the crew. On the other hand, George Russell has remained more positive in his comments regarding the car.

As such, Hamilton’s exit could create a more positive atmosphere with an energetic young driver in the wings. Certainly, George Russell and Toto Wolff would be looking to implement a long-term strategy from next year which could allow Mercedes to dominate the sport once again. However, it remains to be seen if Lewis Hamilton’s experience is missed by the Brackley crew once he joins Ferrari next season.

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