George Russell, who has become the most experienced driver within the Mercedes ranks following the departure of Lewis Hamilton, has spoken out about the mental pressure his former teammate has been dealing with. According to Russell, this could potentially explain Hamilton’s recent struggles in Formula 1. Since his debut at Ferrari, the 40-year-old driver has not yet stood on the podium.
“When you’re a seven-time world champion, anything less than a victory feels like a failure,” Russell explained to the media in Montreal. “You’re probably pushing yourself and your team to the limit to perform above your potential and achieve those great results, and that can actually be counterproductive.” However, Russell also had words of praise for Hamilton and his performances in recent years. “Last year, I saw him really at his best,” the Brit recalled. “He was a serious competitor for me, and he drove brilliantly. We saw it last year at Silverstone, and again this year in China.” In Shanghai, Hamilton won the sprint race on behalf of Scuderia.
Is McLaren’s Lead Too Large?
It’s no surprise to Russell that Hamilton is currently struggling with his new environment at Ferrari. According to the British driver, it’s difficult for almost everyone to make a difference right now – unless you’re driving for McLaren. “The chance of victory has become smaller for all of us,” explained the 27-year-old driver. “Unless you’re in that orange car, of course. That’s frustrating for me, but it’s also frustrating for someone like Charles (Leclerc) – he’s such a fantastic driver, but he hasn’t had a chance at the championship since 2022. That’s just the nature of this sport.”
At present, George Russell is in fourth place in the championship, well above Lewis Hamilton. After his victory at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, his total number of World Championship points stands at 136, 19 points behind Max Verstappen. The two McLaren drivers are still leading the pack. Oscar Piastri tops the leaderboard with 198 points, followed by teammate Lando Norris, who, after his retirement in Canada, is 22 points behind the Australian.
