George Russell is the individual within the Mercedes Formula 1 team who will be thrilled with the surprising news of Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari. This development presents him with the chance he has been longing for. The 25-year-old joined Mercedes with the aspiration of making it his own once Hamilton retired, potentially in 2024. However, Hamilton recently agreed to a new deal with Mercedes, altering Russell’s plans. Now, Russell has the opportunity to establish himself as the team’s focal point in 2025 when Hamilton departs for Ferrari.
Russell is a driver on the cusp of greatness, but there is uncertainty surrounding whether he will reach the pinnacle or fall just short. Falling short would place him among the group of drivers who achieve moderate success with race wins and a potential championship victory. However, the exceptional serial winners are in a league of their own.
Last season, considering his experience, expectations, and opportunities, Russell had his least impressive performance since his F1 debut in 2019. As Russell himself stated, “the pace has been really great, but the results have been dreadful.” While there were instances of misfortune, such as the incident in Australia where he pitted just before a safety car was deployed, there were also concerning errors in Monaco, Canada, and Singapore. As a result, Russell ended the season with a 59-point deficit to Hamilton.
Russell’s claim that his pace was strong holds true. There was little difference in qualifying between the two Mercedes drivers, with Russell being 0.018s faster on average in 2023 compared to being 0.012s behind the previous season. However, Hamilton outperformed Russell overall last year in terms of all-round performance.
During their two years as teammates, there was no clear winner. Hamilton was marginally stronger, but not significantly superior in the teammate battle. This reflects positively on Russell, as most F1 drivers would have been easily outperformed by Hamilton. It could be argued that a true superstar would have asserted themselves over an aging legend like Hamilton. However, this argument oversimplifies the dynamics of a teammate battle and overlooks the challenges posed by Mercedes’ inconsistent car since 2022.
The fluctuating performance and behavior of the Mercedes car introduce more noise in the data, making it difficult to draw definitive conclusions in a teammate comparison. Therefore, the verdict is still out on Russell’s potential. The outcome of their third and final season together at Mercedes this year may sway opinions.
With Hamilton’s impending departure, Russell’s chances of proving himself as the “new Hamilton” for Mercedes have increased. However, it is overly simplistic to assume that Toto Wolff can simply make Russell’s dreams come true and undermine Hamilton. The team dynamics will be impacted, presenting Russell with an opportunity.
Wolff expressed his confidence in Russell, stating that he has the potential to be the next lead driver in the team. This endorsement from Wolff reflects a slight uncertainty about the work Russell still needs to do to fulfill his perceived destiny. Mercedes is delighted to have Russell as, at the very least, an exceptional second driver. This helps in making a decision regarding the second seat in the team.
Russell’s performances will undoubtedly influence Wolff and the other decision-makers at Mercedes when it comes to selecting Hamilton’s replacement. It is unlikely that drivers like Alex Albon or Carlos Sainz will be considered alongside Russell, indicating that Mercedes sees Russell as its main long-term hope.
Now, Russell must bring everything together and showcase the potential he has always possessed. Mistakes are forgivable, as drivers are human and prone to errors, but Russell needs to minimize them. He must also demonstrate his ability to match Hamilton’s brilliance in tire management, as there has been a tendency for Russell to push harder and faster on the tires at the start of a stint before experiencing a drop-off.
Realistically, Russell needs to make small improvements in every aspect of his game. Hamilton’s departure changes the game for Russell, and now is the time for him to seize the opportunity. Regardless of the team dynamics, the ultimate difference will be Russell himself. If he gets it right, he will have the full confidence of the team to compete for the world championship, benefiting from continuity and incumbency in one of F1’s top teams.
This is the opportunity every driver desires. Now, it is up to Russell to complete the job and prove that he can be great, rather than just very good.
According to the Source the-race.com