George Russell claims ‘driver names are popping up’ on his phone to replace Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton

George Russell revealed that he has been in discussions regarding Lewis Hamilton's replacement at Mercedes.

George Russell claims ‘driver names are popping up’ on his phone to replace Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton

George Russell and Lewis Hamilton (Via IMAGO)

Lewis Hamilton shocked the sporting world with his decision to join Ferrari in 2025. The seven-time world champion will leave Mercedes after spending over a decade at Brackley. The Silver Arrows are in dire need to find a suitable replacement for the 39-year-old. Now, Hamilton’s teammate George Russell has revealed his conversations over the situation.

Russell claimed that Mercedes was already having discussions about Lewis Hamilton’s replacement. The 26-year-old has spent a lot of time with team boss Toto Wolff over the winter break. Moreover, George Russell found it amusing to see driver names pop up on his phone as many expressed their interest in joining the Silver Arrows for 2025.

We've already had conversations and I've been with Toto a lot this winter, so seeing the drivers' names pop up on the telephone has been quite funny.
George Russell said as reported by RacingNews365
YouTube video

The 26-year-old highlighted that he has had phone calls and messages regarding a replacement for Lewis Hamilton. George Russell reckoned that it was a good opportunity for Mercedes to find the right fit to take the team into its new era after the departure of Hamilton. There have been a few names rumored to be on the team’s list including 17-year-old Kimi Antonelli. However, Toto Wolff has dismissed such a possibility for now.

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Even on my phone as well, I've had a few phone calls and text messages so it's been quite interesting. As a team, we've got a good opportunity and we're in a really good position to go into this next chapter, [after] there's been so much success with Lewis and Mercedes.

George Russell set to lead Mercedes after Lewis Hamilton’s exit

Russell joined Mercedes in 2022 after three successful seasons at Williams. The 26-year-old matched his world-champion teammate over the past two seasons and took the team’s only win in that period. Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari switch presents the perfect opportunity for the former F2 champion to establish himself as a team leader.

George Russell and Lewis Hamilton
George Russell and Lewis Hamilton (via IMAGO)

Toto Wolff has mentioned that Russell was capable of being the team leader at Mercedes. The 26-year-old has showcased his talent in the past five years in the sport with some impressive performances. However, it could be a challenge for the former Williams driver to fill in the massive shoes of Lewis Hamilton in the coming years.

Nevertheless, George Russell will be looking to demonstrate his leadership in the upcoming season. The 26-year-old remains confident of his abilities at the Brackley-based team. As such, fans would be looking forward to seeing how Russell performs against Lewis Hamilton in their final season as teammates.

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