Toto Wolff couldn’t dream of a better duo with Hamilton and Russell
Mercedes boss, Toto Wolff, has commented on the swift integration of George Russell. The Austrian is very pleased with the work of his new driver and praises his rapport with Lewis Hamilton.
It was a duo that was intriguing before the start of the season. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were set to collaborate at Mercedes, creating a battle between the seven-time world champion, in the last years of his illustrious career, and the young British talent with undeniable skills and in search of glory.
A line-up that could spark flames at Mercedes, especially since Lewis Hamilton hasn’t always had the best relationships with his teammates. George Russell, who has arrived to succeed Valtteri Bottas, has had a fantastic start, and the relationship between the two Brits seems very healthy, much to the delight of Toto Wolff.
« He has integrated very well, it’s almost as if he has been here forever and I am really happy with both of them, the way they interact and their mutual respect. » the Austrian rejoiced. « When you look at George’s record of winning the title in F3 in his first year, then in F2, we knew he was very good. And of course, the Williams team has also contributed, so we never doubted he would be very good and you can see that materializing on the track ».
« I love seeing them work together, the level is high on both sides. And it has put us in a decent position in the constructors’ championship, so I couldn’t dream of a better duo. » the boss of Mercedes is satisfied.
The youth takes power
George Russell is making a strong impression at the beginning of the season. The former Williams driver is the only one to have finished each of the first five races in the top 5. A model of consistency that currently places him in fourth position in the standings, with a podium in Australia as the highlight of a successful adaptation.
For Lewis Hamilton, 2022 is more chaotic. The British driver, who lost the championship title last year, seems to be struggling to recover. Sixth in the standings, he didn’t score any points in Imola and was eliminated in Q1 in Jeddah. But Hamilton has also had bad luck, especially with safety cars that never come out at the right time for his strategies.
The two Britons are still having a very solid start to the season, despite the W13 being “very difficult to drive,” according to Russell, allowing Mercedes to occupy third place in the constructors’ standings.
