Mercedes have a “very thrilling” line-up in Lewis Hamilton and George Russell with Christian Danner saying one has a “jumbo jet” ego and the opposite is “extra of a chatterbox”.
After 5 years with Valtteri Bottas as his team-mate and “wingman”, Hamilton had a brand new associate in 2022 with Mercedes junior Russell stepping up from Williams.
Whereas the 24-year-old Briton had the higher begin to the season, bagging 9 successive top-five outcomes, Hamilton got here to the fore within the latter half – though it was Russell who bagged the workforce’s solely win, P1 on the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
He completed the season fourth within the Drivers’ standings, 35 factors forward of Hamilton, to turn out to be solely the third team-mate within the seven-time World Champion’s 16 years on the grid to beat him.
Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff known as that “irrelevant”, explaining that the 2 weren’t preventing for race wins and the World title.
However with the Brackley squad anticipated to be again within the hunt subsequent season, what has been an amicable relationship might activate its head.
Danner reckons it might be “very thrilling”, particularly as the 2 Britons have very totally different personalities.
“It was an attention-grabbing pairing when it comes to personalities,” former F1 driver turned pundit Danner instructed ‘AvD Motor & Sport journal’ for Sport1, “as a result of Lewis Hamilton normally lets his ego fly in with the jumbo jet and George Russell is extra of a chatterbox who approaches the matter impartially.
“I discover it very thrilling to have these two in a single workforce.”
Will it’s Lewis Hamilton or George Russell within the struggle subsequent season?
The Components 1 paddock appears break up as as to if will probably be Hamilton or Russell who leads Mercedes’ cost subsequent season.
In reality the one factor everybody appears to agree on is that Mercedes can be up there preventing Max Verstappen and Purple Bull for the championship titles.
AlphaTauri workforce boss Franz Tost has backed Russell to be the workforce’s lead driver, telling Speedweek.com: “I anticipate a three-way battle between Max, Charles Leclerc and George Russell, who’s already stronger than Lewis Hamilton.”
Nevertheless, Sky Sports activities pundit Anthony Davidson is satisfied solely Hamilton has what it takes.
“The one individual I can see that may mount a severe problem is Lewis Hamilton,” he stated final month. “Nevertheless it’s by no means a given and I don’t know who the subsequent Max Verstappen can be that comes alongside at some point to convey the struggle to him.
“However Lewis in the intervening time, he’s undoubtedly nonetheless ok with out query and he’s the one one that may take this struggle to Max .”
Learn extra: Tom Coronel: It was ‘time to go’ for Lewis Hamilton earlier than he acquired his ‘chew’ again in 2022