When George Russell joined Mercedes at the start of the 2022 season, few anticipated the instant impact he would have at a team that has the services of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
However, the young driver has acclimatised extremely fast and in his debut season at the Silver Arrows, he managed to score more points than Hamilton.
With Hamilton, 37, in the twilight of his career, it is natural for people to discuss the balance of power at the team.
While there have been some who have ‘begged‘ Hamilton to leave Mercedes amidst the rise of Russell, others believe he is still the best driver on the grid.
Russell performing so admirably in his first season at Mercedes proved that he wasn’t content simply playing second fiddle to his more experienced teammate, rather he wanted to prove his credentials.
As for Toto Wolff, any talk about who the main driver at Mercedes is remains futile.
“I hardly follow it,” said Toto, when asked about his opinion on the main driver at Mercedes.
“And if I overhear one or the other comment, I can only smile about it. George is doing a good job, but that’s exactly what we expected from him, that’s why he’s at Mercedes.
“I don’t notice anything about it on the team. These are background noises played through the press. Lewis and George push each other.”
Former team manager of Lewis Hamilton, Eddie Jordan, feels that the Stevenage-born driver should step aside from Mercedes and seek a new challenge in his career.
“My only concern is that Lewis has to find something else in his mojo now and he needs to get out of there,” he said on his podcast with David Coulthard.
“He needs to move on, just like he did with McLaren. Get out of Mercedes, Lewis! It’s time you reinvented yourself somewhere else.”
Coulthard, though, still feels Hamilton is yet to have his final say.
“You have two drivers at different phases of their careers. The mighty Lewis is still in there, it just won’t really show itself until the Mercedes is as mighty as it once was,” Coulthard said.
“George is doing a brilliant job, [he is an] absolute asset for the team.
“That’s not to say Lewis isn’t doing a brilliant job, it just means that the car isn’t talking to him right now and when it does, expect him to be showing George why he won seven world championships.”