New Mercedes driver George Russell talked battling his teammate Lewis Hamilton in 2022, saying that the two drivers need to cooperate to be successful.
The youngster will join Mercedes at the beginning of the 2022 season. He will partner seven-time champion Hamilton, so the pressure on him is well and truly immense.
The dynamic between the two drivers will be the most interesting thing at Mercedes in 2022. The young upstart versus the elite veteran promises to be a cracker, and fans will be eager to see them race hard and fast.
Russell talked battling Hamilton in 2022, and said that more than racing each other, there has to be cooperation.
“I think there’s a lot of respect between Lewis and I. I think we’re in very different stages of our career,” he said, as quoted by formula1news.co.uk.
“Lewis is the guy he is for a reason – he’s the greatest of all time. I think we go in there (and) we need to help each other because, (in 2022), the cars are just going to be developing so much, race after race.
“It’s not who has the quickest car at race one, it’s who has the quickest car throughout the whole season. And, as drivers, we need to work together with the team to move us forward as one, and that’s going to be the key.”
Gratitude
“They (Mercedes) gave me my first opportunity in Formula 1, which I will be forever grateful for,” he said.
“But I think, above all, (they) helped mould me into a better all-round driver, helped me learn the technical side of the sport much more and just develop my skills globally to become a greater driver.
“I guess, above all, you build these bonds and these friendships with people, especially through the good times and even the tough times. You grow closer together with so many of your core group of people and that will last forever,” he concluded.
Read more: Russell hoping Williams lessons can help him succeed at Mercedes – “I feel more of a rounded driver”