Toto Wolff has suggested that Nico Rosberg’s fierce rivalry with Lewis Hamilton during their time at Mercedes will help the team prepare for the possible signing of George Russell next season. The latter is expected to replace Valtteri Bottas in the Silver Arrows at the end of the year after establishing himself as one of the most talented drivers on the grid at Williams.
Russell has never been outqualified by a Williams teammate during his time in Formula 1 and is expected to fight for world titles in the near future.
He was drafted as a replacement for Hamilton at Mercedes at last year’s Sakhir Grand Prix and shone in the fastest car on the grid.
A race win would have been possible if a failed pit stop and an unfortunate slow tire damage had not ruined his chances of winning the first race.
Russell has since scored three points in Williams and took his first podium at the Belgian Grand Prix last week with a second place under bizarre circumstances.
For several months there has been speculation about an imminent move to Mercedes, and with only ten races left until the end of the season, it could soon be a decision for Wolff.
JUST IN: Lewis Hamilton disagrees with Dutch fans booing in Max Verstappen feud
The 49-year-old has been inundated with questions about the future of Russell and Bottas in recent weeks and was asked again on Friday about the prospect of a change in Zandvoort.
Wolff acknowledged his experience of dealing with the chilly relationship between Hamilton and Rosberg will come in handy when the seven-time world champion finds himself in a title fight with potential teammate Russell in the years to come.
“All personalities are different, and the situation between the two teammates is also the people and their past,” the Mercedes boss told Sky Sports F1.
“Something we learned, I personally learned about Alain Prost’s situation with Ayrton Senna. I spoke to Prost about it and learned with Nico and Lewis at work.
DO NOT MISS
“If we were going to drive in a situation where we have drivers fighting out there, then I think we can benefit from the learning.”
Hamilton and Rosberg fought body and soul for race wins and titles between 2013 and 2016, their close friendship turning into a bitter rivalry that sometimes became toxic.
The tension came to a head during her senior year as a Mercedes team-mate when Rosberg relegated Hamilton to the drivers’ championship title on the final day after a series of balancing acts and accidents between the two.
It remains to be seen whether the experienced 36-year-old will argue with Russell if the Williams man is selected to replace Bottas at the end of the season.
Follow our new Daily Express Sport Instagram page here
When asked about the prospect of a future rivalry with Hamilton earlier this week, Russell said he was more than up to the challenge of taking on arguably the greatest champion in the sport of all time in the same car.
“I feel absolutely ready,” he told F1-Insider.com. “I’m still improving all the time, but I feel well prepared for the World Cup fight.
“Those three years at Williams taught me so much. How to deal with disappointment, but also with a racing car that is difficult to drive.
“I’m ready – and want to race for victories and world titles!”
The post Mercedes boss Toto Wolff explains how Nico Rosberg helped when George Russell joins the team | F1 | Sports first appeared on monter-une-startup.
