Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton needs to watch his back next season. Apparently, his Mercedes teammate George Russell is determined to outperform him and become the team's "top dog" as soon as possible.
Russell wants to grab opportunity by its neck
Russell came in hot when he was given the opportunity to drive the Mercedes car for the first time all the way back in 2020 when he was called up as a substitute to the Covid-stricken Hamilton at the Sakhir Grand Prix.
He qualified second and after overtaking pole-sitter Valtteri Bottas at the start, he led for a good part of the race before the team mixed up his tyres with those of the other Mercedes car. Russell had to pit again to fix the error, and had to make a recovery drive back to second place. At that point, he was catching up with Red Bull's Sergio Perez for the lead, but he suffered a slow puncture that eventually only allowed him to finish in P9.
It was a comedy of errors, but Russell did enough on that race to seal his Mercedes drive for 2022.
Russell's debut season showed a lot of potential
Russell had a promising start with the silver arrows, beating Hamilton in their first season together as team-mates.
Russell finished the 2022 season in P4 with 275 points, while Hamilton could only manage to secure 240 points and finish sixth in the Drivers' Championship. Russell also secured Mercedes' only win of the season, finishing ahead of Hamilton at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Sophomore slump
However, in 2023, Hamilton managed to get his wits about him after being completely unsettled the year before. Hamilton was thrown off-balance in 2022 by how far back the Mercedes was compared to the Red Bulls, after having previously enjoyed a dominant string of eight Constructors' World Titles.
This year, Hamilton was able to get back up to third in the championship, beaten only by the two Red Bull drivers, Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez. Meanwhile, Russell suffered a sophomore slump and only managed to finish in eighth place in the drivers' standings.
After a forgettable year, Russell admitted that 2023 was "probably the toughest season" he's ever had. Despite the struggles, he remains optimistic and determined to bounce back in 2024.
Russell issues a threat
"I'm purposely trying to push myself further and beyond, and I'm not satisfied with just being on par with my team-mate in qualifying or whatever it may be. Or last year [when] we were very even across the whole season. I want to be ahead. And that's what I'm pushing myself for," he said, as quoted by Mirror.
It was a clear threat to his teammate, who has had a target on his back for a very long time. However, this time the challenge is coming from the other side of the garage. Incidentally, Russell will have at least two more seasons to try to beat Hamilton. Mercedes confirmed earlier this year that both drivers have signed contract extensions until 2025.
The driver lineup was confirmed back in August, meaning the team could do away with the contract talks and concentrate on racing and improving their car. The extension also meant that Hamilton will stay in F1 past his 40th birthday.
Russell, 25, will want to prove that he is a worthy successor not simply because of age and Hamilton's impending retirement. In other words, he wants to show that he can beat one of the best drivers in history and not just "inherit" his spot in the team.
The pressure is immense, and Russell admitted that it has probably contributed to some of his mistakes this year. "Perhaps that's been a small reason for contributing to a couple more mistakes. But, I think you look back on seasons like this and you grow. I'm thankful it's not a season where we're fighting for a championship victory. And I'm confident next season will be very different. Because I know the sort of driver who I am," he said.
He is determined to build consistency next season, and it remains to be seen if Mercedes will be able to give both their drivers a competitive car in 2024.
