Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes: from George Russell a bitter reflection

A pivotal season, however, which does not hide some reasons for bitterness.

George Russell in 2022 achieved his first career victory in Formula 1 and has settled in well at Mercedes. His feeling, however, is that he experienced a season that could have been much better. Also in reference to his relationship with Lewis Hamilton, who was also beaten in track results by his young teammate.

“Winning the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos was even more important to me than the final result in the drivers’ championship,” Russell admitted to the Germans at ‘Auto Motor und Sport.’ “In the end, however, no one will remember that I scored more points than Hamilton in the standings. Also because I finished the season in fourth place overall, in no man’s land.”

These very results, while definitely important in his first season in a top team, do not fully satisfy Russell. “If they had asked me last year to sign for a win, a pole position and eight podiums at the end of the season, my answer would have been ‘no thanks.’ Both I and the whole Mercedes team had much higher ambitions for 2022 than the results we then achieved,” admitted the British driver.