“You would be stupid to rule Lewis Hamilton out”: George Russell praises future Mercedes teammate for taking the Championship battle down to the wire

"You would be stupid to rule Lewis Hamilton out": George Russell praises future Mercedes teammate for taking the Championship battle down to the wire

George Russell thinks that betting against Lewis Hamilton is a ‘stupid idea’ and that the latter is still  the favorite to win the title. 

The 2021 season has been a battle between Hamilton and Max Verstappen for the Championship. The two drivers have been exceptional and have rarely put a foot wrong. Only 14 points separate them, with just 3 more races to go.

Verstappen has won more races this season. The 24 year old has 9 race wins this season compared to Hamilton’s 6. Still, the Briton finds himself close to the leader at the closing stages of this epic season in F1. However, the Red Bull driver has had his share of bad luck in 2021.

A tire failure in Baku and a collision with Hamilton in Silverstone cost the Dutchman a lot of points. Some would argue that without those incidents, he would be comfortably ahead of Lewis in the standings.

George Russell on the other hand said that one should never count Lewis Hamilton out.

Russell will be joining Mercedes in 2022 after spending 3 years in F1 with Williams. The 23 year old was full of praise for his future teammate in Brackley.

“I have been saying it for a long, long time when Max and Red Bull seemed to have the upper hand, you would be pretty stupid to bet against Lewis and Mercedes.” Russell said.

Also read: Max Verstappen believes that the Silver Arrows are being overly aggressive towards Red Bull lately

What Lewis did last week was extraordinary, says George Russell

Hamilton put in one of his best ever performances at Interlagos last week. The 36 year old started the race on 10th but fought his way up the grid to comfortably finish ahead of Verstappen and win the Sao Paolo GP.

Russell thinks that what the Stevenage born driver did last Sunday was a testament to his greatness.

“Last weekend has proven that. The fact they are still in this fight is pretty exceptional and what Lewis did last week was also exceptional.” he said.

There were times this season when it seemed like Red Bull had the upper hand. Every single time, the Silver Arrows managed to find their way back to close the gap. That is why Russell thinks it is very ‘stupid’ to write Lewis or Mercedes out of the Championship picture.

George Russell bagged his first podium in F1 this season when he finished 2nd in the Belgian Grand Prix. He will partner up with the 7-time World Champion at Mercedes next year. The young British driver will replace Valtteri Bottas who will be driving for Alfa Romeo.

Also read: Fernando Alonso’s prediction for George Russell alongside Lewis Hamilton in Mercedes in 2022

 

 

Post Edited By: Subham Jindal
George Russell Lewis Hamilton Max Verstappen Mercedes Red Bull Williams

About the author

Avatar photo

Somin Bhattacharjee

Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

Don’t miss these