George Russell had yet again a strong showing in Monaco. Finishing P5 in the race, Russell is continuing his streak of finishing in the top five of every race in 2022. His teammate, Lewis Hamilton, however, hasn’t had the best of luck this season. Yet the young Briton remains bullish on the seven-time world champion.
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George talks about Barcelona and managing expectations at Mercedes
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Speaking to Sports Illustrated ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, George Russell was asked about Barcelona. He explained that things are different between his former team, Williams, and his current team, Mercedes.
russell said, “The limelight was sort of on us that weekend so I think it was all out there in the open. I think something I’ve noticed since joining Mercedes is that it doesn’t matter what weekend it is, every single lap is scrutinized.”
A contact with Haas’s Kevin Magnussen forced Hamilton to pit and end up dead last. However, Lewis fought back his way into the points. George was all praise for Lewis and talked about how Hamilton showed pace. “I think Lewis was absolutely exceptional,” added Russell.
Formula One F1 – Spanish Grand Prix – Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain – May 21, 2022 Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and George Russell ahead of qualifying REUTERS/Nacho Doce
“On Sunday, the pace he showed was extraordinary. I knew it was only a matter of time before we saw what I saw firsthand: what he’s truly capable of. The performance he put [out] on Sunday was incredibly impressive.”
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And quite rightly so, as Lewis was in P19 and 38.6 seconds behind Latifi. Furthermore, he was 53,908 seconds behind the leader, Charles Leclerc. This gap then increased to a minute after his stop on lap 22. Despite the odds, the Mercedes driver clawed his way back and managed to finish P5 as the checkered flag fell. Many wondered if he had the pace to win the race.
George Russell believes Lewis Hamilton is striving for more
But apart from the comparisons. George is of the opinion that he had a lot to learn from Hamilton. Russell highlighted that Lewis has a lot to give to the sport and why he wants more. george pointed out, “He is striving for more. He’s a seven-time world champion, he’s 37 years old, and he’s still got so much motivation, so much hunger.”
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BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN – MARCH 19: George Russell of Mercedes and Great Britain during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on March 19, 2022 in Bahrain, Bahrain. (Photo by Peter J Fox/Getty Images)
“The way he rounds up all the troops to get the best out of everybody is truly inspiring, and he’s working on every single little detail.”
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Russell also confessed that while everybody knows talented Hamilton, people also presume a lot of things. According to him, people assume that Lewis just shows up at the last minute and lets his talents do all the talking. However, such an assumption is wrong and Hamilton works harder than that.
Despite the difference in form between the two drivers, Russell is still backing Lewis Hamilton. The young Briton believes that Lewis will be back stronger. Currently, George leads Lewis by 34 points in the driver standings after Monaco.
