There has been a growing consensus in the paddock that Lewis Hamilton will finish his last year as a Mercedes driver beaten by his teammate, George Russell. While it’s true that the seven-time world champion has struggled with the W15’s concept this year, diving deep into the numbers from this season paints an impressively different picture.
Looking at the qualifying and race head-to-head between the two teammates, yes, Russell has had the legs over the 39-year-old. That said, the #44 driver’s race craft has more than made up for his struggles on one-lap pace this season.
Both Russell and Hamilton have won twice this year. Arguably, Hamilton’s win at the British GP gives him the bragging rights over his countryman for just how iconic that moment was when he crossed the chequered flag as a nine-time British GP winner (for the last time as a Mercedes driver).
Moving on, the duo have raked in consistent results for the Silver Arrows. But Hamilton has just edged the Kings-Lynn-born driver out in terms of making it count at the sharp end of the field. The 22 rounds of the championship this year have seen Hamilton stand on the podium five times as opposed to Russell’s four.
George Russell vs. Lewis Hamilton 2024 H2H ⚔️
Wins: 2-2 tie
Podiums: 5-4 for Hamilton
Top 5s: 10-9 for Russell
Points per Points Finish: 10.73-9.75 for Russell
Race H2H: 12-6 for Russell
Quali H2H: 17-5 for Russell
Poles: 3-0 for Russell
Front Rows: 4-1 for Russell pic.twitter.com/egd5zWum0H— Daniel Valente ️ (@F1GuyDan) November 28, 2024
It has been very clear, however, that the #63 driver has unlocked the W15’s potential in terms of one-lap pace. Russell holds a superior 3-0 record in terms of pole positions and a 4-1 record in terms of front-row starts over his seven-time world champion teammate.
Is Russell ready to lead Mercedes after Hamilton’s exit?
The 2025 F1 season is bringing many storylines to follow. While Hamilton’s iconic alliance with Ferrari will take most of the headlines away, Kimi Antonelli’s arrival at Mercedes poses a very unique challenge for Russell.
For the first time, Russell has been touted as a team leader within the Brackley-based squad. While he has been able to prove his mettle against Hamilton, the stakes are very high for the #63 driver going into 2025.
It’s not only pride that is only the line for the 26-year-old. If he does get ruffled by his 18-year-old teammate, next year, he might be facing the exit doors at Mercedes with Toto Wolff still very keen to sign Max Verstappen on as soon as 2026. Naturally, Russell must lead or leave.
