Hours Before Lewis Hamilton was Made $127,000,000 Promise, George Russell Wished for Max Verstappen as New Team Ally

The latest news coming out of the Mercedes paddock is that of Lewis Hamilton signing a two-year contract extension with the Silver Arrows. Reuters reports the Briton, who will stay with Mercedes in his 40s, will earn over $127,000,000 via his latest contract. However, a few hours before the contract extension news broke, Hamilton’s teammate, George Russell, said he would prefer Max Verstappen as his new teammate over the 38-year-old.

Things could be tricky for Russell after his comments, as he, too, has signed a two-year deal with the Brackley-based outfit. This means Mercedes will retain their driver lineup until the end of the 2025 season.

With Red Bull taking over the reins of the F1 from Mercedes, there has been a significant change in hierarchy within the sport. Nonetheless, Mercedes trusts Hamilton to be able to bring them back to their glory days.

Lewis Hamilton snubbed by George Russell in favor of Max Verstappen

Speaking in an interview before the drivers head to Monza for their next race, Russell opened up on who he’d like to race alongside if given the choice of any teammate on the grid. The 25-year-old gave a surprising reply, one that Mercedes might not be particularly happy about.

“I pick Max. Because when I joined Mercedes to be teammates with Lewis, Lewis was and is regarded as the best driver of all time. You want to go against and learn from the best,” said Russell. “And obviously, Max is at the top of his game right now.”

With Hamilton staying put in Mercedes, Russell will not get his wish for another two years, at the least. While his partnership with Russell is the preferred lineup of Mercedes, Hamilton will also be satisfied with the latest stipulations in his contract.

Hamilton set to earn hundreds of millions over the next two years

The exact sum of the contract remains unknown, but reports suggest Hamilton could earn upwards of $63.41 million per year. As such, the 7-time world champion will see himself earn around $8 million more than his arch-rival Max Verstappen per year. The British driver grinningly told his team members they were all stuck with him for two more years after the news broke. Hamilton, who has supported Mercedes since he was 13, says he couldn’t be happier with the news.

 

✌🏾 more @MercedesAMGF1 pic.twitter.com/Tm9dkJ1ubN

— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) August 31, 2023

With Mercedes only retaining their current drivers until the end of 2025, there could be a possibility of them showcasing a new driver lineup when the new regulations kick in in 2026. The next two seasons could make up for an interesting battle between both drivers as they want to retain their seats heading into the new era engines.