George Russell’s victory in Brazil was not just a moment of pure bliss, but it was also a moment of relief for many Mercedes fans around the world. The young Briton beat his teammate Lewis Hamilton to win his first-ever Grand Prix race in Formula 1. However, Russell is determined more than ever to build on his maiden win in F1 and beat Lewis to win the championship.

Joining a top team like Mercedes from Williams can prove to be a difficult transition for many drivers. Take the example of Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly when they made the switch to Red Bull from AlphaTauri. Their sub-par performances forced Red Bull to look for alternatives and the Austrian team eventually signed Sergio Perez.

But George has been the silver lining for the Silver Arrows as he beat, perhaps one of the GOATs of F1 in his first season. Moreover, as Lewis Hamilton chases his record 8th title, he could be forced to fight his own teammate for the championship apart from rival team drivers. The King’s Lynn kid shared that he could beat any driver on the grid with the right machinery available.

George Russell sets his sight on the World Driver’s Championship

It won’t be the first time Lewis would be fighting his own teammate for the title. The Brit has previously been involved in a title fight with Fernando Alonso at McLaren and Nico Rosberg at Mercedes. The 103 race-winner has happily sacrificed his season for his team’s development. However, if Mercedes manages to succeed next year, it might be a little bittersweet for the 7-time champion.

A determined George Russell told the media including The Race, “I always believed in myself.” The former Williams driver continued, “I learned how I need to go about it when he is extraordinarily fast.”

He further added, “I still need to continue to focus on myself because I still maintain the belief that if I’ve got the car beneath me, and the set-up and the tyres in the right place, working how I want it to work, I can beat him and I can beat anyone else on this grid. And that’s the belief you have to take.”

READ MORE: Mercedes Makes $5000 Gesture as Romantic Lewis Hamilton Celebrates Love With Lucky Fan Couple

Regardless of the rivalry and competition, the Mercedes duo will hope to drive a competitive car next season. Whether the Brackley-based constructors deliver to the needs of their drivers is another question.

George Russell is better than Lewis Hamilton, according to AlphaTauri boss

Mercedes recruit George Russell has certainly impressed many with his splendid driving this season. However, AlphaTauri boss Franz Tost seems to be more impressed with the 24-year-old than others. He delivered an astonishing statement that surprised many fans.

Franz Tost told Speedweek, “The superiority shown by Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing this year is quite rare.” [Translated from Google]

The AlphaTauri boss further added, “I expect a three-way battle between Max, Charles Leclerc and George Russell, who is already stronger than Lewis Hamilton.”

George finished above Lewis Hamilton in his first season with the Silver Arrows. He became only the third teammate to beat Lewis Hamilton after Jenson Button (2011) and Nico Rosberg (2016).

WATCH THIS STORY: Not Lewis Hamilton Michael Schumacher American rookie Logan Sargeant picks NASCAR legend for inspiring F1 move

Can the Silver Arrows challenge Red Bull and Ferrari next season for the championship?