George Russell insists Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton was never ‘stronger’ than him in one area

George Russell is looking to beat Lewis Hamilton in the championship before the seven-time world champion joins Ferrari. Russell has inched ahead before this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.

He beat Hamilton during their first year together in 2022 but would have been disappointed by his showing last term. The former Williams man ended up finishing five places and nearly 60 points behind.

This year, effectively the deciding season in their battle, just two separate them with three races to go. That reflects just how closely matched they’ve been during their partnership.

Hamilton has scored 664 points since the start of 2022, while Russell has scored 642. He’s exceeded expectations with his performance relative to F1’s most successful driver.

Many would argue he isn’t facing a peak version of Hamilton, who’s looked uncomfortable in the current generation of F1 cars. But Russell, a GP3 and Formula 2 champion, always had the potential to be special.

Next year, he will be the senior figure in the garage next to Kimi Antonelli. 18-year-old Antonelli is set to become the third-youngest driver in F1 history behind Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll.

George Russell adamant Lewis Hamilton never had a ‘stronger’ voice at Mercedes

Speaking in the pre-race press conference ahead of the Las Vegas GP, Russell was asked whether he’d have a different experience partnering Antonelli. The implication was that he’d carry more authority in the team following Hamilton’s exit.

But he was quick to reject that notion. He says Mercedes always gave equal weight to the feedback of both of their drivers despite Hamilton’s peerless track record.

Russell is entering the final year of his contract and his future could be one of the big stories in the 2025 market. If Max Verstappen becomes available, the 26-year-old will be vulnerable.

“I mean, ultimately, for most F1 teams, you have near on 1,000 people who are working towards building these two cars, yet you only have two drivers driving it,” Russell said. “So, I think, let’s say, in my case, it was never that Lewis had a stronger voice. The team listened to us both equally because both of our opinions were extremely important.”

Why Peter Windsor thinks Mercedes’ move for George Russell was a mistake

Hamilton’s upcoming Ferrari move placed Mercedes in a delicate position. There was a risk that they would subconsciously gravitate towards Russell.

While Hamilton is excluded from car development meetings at the factory – naturally given that he’s joining a competitor in 2025 – the two drivers receive equal treatment during race weekends. That means Russell has outqualified his teammate 16-5 on merit.

Matt Whyman, who spent a year behind the scenes at Mercedes for his recent book, says Russell is ‘fiercely analytical’ in his feedback, whereas Hamilton is more ‘intimate and emotional’. They’ve both been trying to crack the enigma that is the W15.

Former F1 team manager Peter Windsor says it was a mistake to sign Russell, but not because of his performances. Instead, Windsor says Mercedes showed a lack of faith in Hamilton by signing a rising star for the future.