“I Think It Was Needed” – George Russell on Lewis Hamilton Leaving Mercedes

After what seems like almost a lifelong partnership with Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari in 2025 will mark the end of an unforgettable era in Formula 1. Hamilton, who has been driving Mercedes-powered cars since his teenage years as a junior driver, built a legacy of dominance with seven world championships, six of which came with the Silver Arrows.

However, his teammate George Russell believes that this significant change might actually benefit everyone involved. Speaking to ESPN, Russell said;

“To be honest, I think it’s going to be a positive change for everyone. Those guys (Hamilton and Mercedes) have been through so much success together and they have such great memories; these last three years it just hasn’t been working for any of us.”

Centre stage in FP2

Hamilton
Norris
Russell#F1 #LasVegasGP pic.twitter.com/zDiDBzPOAT

— Formula 1 (@F1) November 22, 2024

“Now, we’ve got Kimi [Antonelli] joining the team, young kid on the block, he’s fully motivated, and then for Mercedes, you know it’s the first time without Lewis now in 12 years… So I think it was probably needed for everyone after all the success those guys have had together,” Russell added.

Russell, who joined Mercedes in 2022, will now step into the role of lead driver for the team, a position he has long been groomed for as part of the team’s junior driver program.

Hamilton to further his legacy at Ferrari?

Hamilton will depart Mercedes after several challenging seasons for both himself and the team. Once considered nearly unstoppable in the turbo-hybrid era, Hamilton has struggled to maintain his earlier dominance in the ground-effect era.

The last few seasons have seen him voice frustration with Mercedes’ performance, even going so far as to describe some of the recent races as ‘the worst of his career.’ The team’s inability to consistently compete with Red Bull has left both Hamilton and Mercedes searching for solutions.

| Jenson Button raises age question in Lewis Hamilton’s qualifying defeat:

— Jenson Button speculated that Lewis Hamilton’s age may be affecting his reaction times, contributing to his qualifying struggles against George Russell this season.

— Button commented:

“He’s almost… pic.twitter.com/VeoGquhDrL

— This is Formula 1 (@ThisIsFormu1a1) November 22, 2024

However, while there’s no certainty that Ferrari will give him a better car than Mercedes in 2025, history suggests that Hamilton, more often than not, has made the right career moves. Back in 2013, when Hamilton left McLaren to join Mercedes, many doubted the decision.

Yet, it ultimately set the stage for one of the most successful periods in Formula 1 history. Whether his move to Ferrari will yield similar success remains to be seen, but the motivation to prove himself in a new environment could prove extremely beneficial for the seven-time champion.