George Russell reveals some drivers slid into his DMs enquiring about Lewis Hamilton’s vacant 2025 Mercedes seat

George Russell will have a huge role to play in Toto Wolff's decision on who should get the 2025 Mercedes seat.

George Russell reveals some drivers slid into his DMs enquiring about Lewis Hamilton’s vacant 2025 Mercedes seat

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell (Via IMAGO)

Lewis Hamilton‘s stunned the entire Formula One community during the 2024 pre-season with his shock transfer announcement. He reveled that he ends his journey with Mercedes at the end of this season and will join Ferrari, as he has signed a multi-year deal with the scarlet reds. The move ensures that there is a free premier seat available at Mercedes for 2025.

Even though Mercedes has been struggling a bit with their car since the start of new regulations, it is still one of the most coveted team on the grid, making the opportunity to race for them invaluable for most. There are multiple rumors around who will get Lewis Hamilton‘s seat. Mercedes driver Geroge Russell has now reveled that there have been a lot of drivers messaging him and Toto Wolff personally enquiring about it.

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We’ve already had a lot of conversations and I’ve been with Toto this winter, so seeing some drivers’ names appear on his phone was pretty fun. I also received some phone calls and messages.
George Russell during a press conference after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

This showcases that there are a lot of potential drivers for the free seat on the Brackley-based team for 2025. The optimism shown by Wolf and his crew about how the new regulation change of 2026 would help the team dominate again makes the seat more desirable.

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Jacques Villeneuve says George Russell has given a ‘wake-up call’ to Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton and British driver George Russell have been teammates since the 2022 season. The latter slightly has the upper hand in the teammate battle between the two as Russell scored the only Mercedes win in the new regulations in Brazill 2022. Hamlin got the better of Russell with his impressive 2023 run, but on raw speed the duo has been very similar.

Jacques Villeneuve [L] Lewis Hamilton [R]
Jacques Villeneuve [L] Lewis Hamilton [R] (images via IMAGO)

The 1997 Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve claims that seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton may have gotten too comfortable with ex-teammate Valtteri Bottas over the year. But when Russell came in and beat him on their first year together, t was a wake-up call. 

It’s hard for a driver when you’ve spent years winning, and some years easy winning, especially when you had Bottas as a team-mate
Jacques Villeneuve said.

Villeneuve also claims that Lewis Hamilton’s sudden decision to change teams and start driving for Scuderia Ferrari in 2025 may be due to the challenge George Russell has proven to be. He claims that the move is Hamilton’s way of achieving and obtaining a youthful and energetic attitude for the next few years.

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