“If You Beat Lewis Hamilton…”: George Russell Looks to Enter Elite Club With Cryptic Message to Mercedes Teammate

Mercedes may have had a rough season overall in 2022, but George Russell has managed to keep a decent stride. With several top 5 finishes earning him the “Mr. Consistency” nickname, Russell stands fourth in the Driver’s standings. On the other hand, his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, lags behind at sixth behind Carlos Sainz.

F1 might be one of the few sports where your teammate is your biggest competitor. And as it stands, George Russell will most likely finish the Driver’s Championship ahead of his teammate. It is a rare honor for any driver to beat Lewis Hamilton, and George is no exception.

When asked about his feelings regarding his standing in the Driver’s Championship, Russell admitted that he aims to beat Hamilton to the Championship title someday.

“If you asked me that at the start of the season I probably would have said it means everything because if you beat Lewis Hamilton it means you’ll be world champion,” Russell told Sky Sports F1 ahead of the United States Grand Prix.

“Obviously I want to finish ahead of him, of course. I’m here to win races and be on pole position and I want to fight for championships. It is everything on the line at the minute to try and achieve that,” Russell added, making it obvious that he is here to win and not merely survive.

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As per what the young Brit said, it seems clear that while he considers it an achievement to beat Hamilton, that is not the only goal. As a Mercedes driver, he surely has his prospects set.

Lewis Hamilton is cautiously optimistic about the US Grand Prix

George Russell’s words display a healthy perspective of his competition, both within the team and outside of it. And Russell has a cordial relationship with Hamilton, regardless of the competition on the grid.

However, Russell’s comments must bring back memories of Nico Rosberg and Jenson Button for Hamilton, teammates who got ahead to win championships on rare occasions. And as such, Lewis Hamilton will be keen to avoid a repeat of those events with his current teammate.

As the US Grand Prix is right around the corner, the drivers are high on the rush of the qualifying session and practice sessions.

When asked about his qualifying performance, Lewis Hamilton said, “My laps weren’t great; I really struggled with the car in this session.”

“I’m praying it’s going to be better tomorrow. I’m really just hopeful that… If we can hold onto the guys [ahead], at least keep them in [viewing] distance, that would be awesome, because then strategy can come into play. But I think they’re too quick,” admitted Hamilton.

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As cautiously optimistic as Hamilton is, it is obvious that he is preparing to win. As are his millions of fans who will be watching in Austin, Texas. Do you think Lewis Hamilton will beat his teammate by the end of this season?