There haven’t been many drivers who can boast about beating Lewis Hamilton once, let alone twice. George Russell did, in both 2022 and 2024, something for which he feels he doesn’t get enough credit.
Now, with Hamilton gone and him leading the team, the spotlight is finally falling on the driver, who has been hailed as world championship material since his junior days. Russell joined Mercedes in 2022, and in his very first season, he finished ahead of Hamilton in the championship standings. Russell was P4, 35 points ahead of sixth-placed Hamilton.
Hamilton got one back on Russell the following year, finishing 59 points in front. But last season, the Kings Lynn-born once again trumped the seven-time world champion, this time by 22 points while also outqualifying him 19-5.
“If my time was five years prior, you could argue I’d have two championships in my name,” Russell said to The Athletic, as he spoke about him defeating Hamilton in two of their three seasons together. Russell is referencing the time when Mercedes had championship-winning cars, which Hamilton used to win six of his titles.
And with Russell having defeated Hamilton in two of the three seasons they were teammates, he feels it could have been him who would have won the title. However, Russell will not get any more opportunities to win an intra-team battle against Hamilton, who is now at Ferrari.
With Hamilton no longer at Brackley, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff confidently declared Russell as the team leader, and the 27-year-old has proved that he’s up for the task. With three podiums in the opening five races of 2025, it’s clear why the Silver Arrows placed their faith in Russell in the first place.
“He’s the unsung hero of the year,” F1 journalist Sam Coop said on the RacingNews365 podcast. This claim doesn’t seem unfounded either, as Russell has handled the responsibilities of being a team leader while also performing well on the track.
The Mercedes W16 isn’t the fastest car on the grid, and in some circuits, it’s been third or fourth-fastest. Still, Russell has managed to stay in the championship conversations. As of now, he’s 26 points behind the leader, Oscar Piastri. Plus, Russell has also taken up the role of helping 18-year-old rookie teammate Kimi Antonelli settle into the sport.
P2 in Bahrain!!
Great work team, really great weekend!! Congrats to Oscar and Lando on the podium pic.twitter.com/AlAQUdDo28
— George Russell (@GeorgeRussell63) April 13, 2025
Coop recalled Russell being asked about whether or not he expected to be in the title fight, given that not many had picked him as one of the contenders. His response? Oozed confidence and proved that he has immense self-belief.
“His response was, ‘Well, for starters, I don’t need to seek external validation,’ which is exactly the kind of confidence you’d expect from someone who gets to the pinnacle of their trade,” Coop added. That said, for Russell to remain in the fight for the title could prove to be extremely difficult unless Mercedes brings in some huge upgrades.
McLaren remains the favorite for the Constructors’ titles, with its drivers Piastri and Norris running away with the top two spots in the Drivers’ standings. However, Max Verstappen has proved that even with a sub-optimal car, staying in the mix is very much possible.
Could Russell also rise up to the challenge like the four-time world champ? That would surely prove the Briton’s mettle among the sport’s best.
