12 Months after George Russell Derailed Toto Wolff’s Dream, Lewis Hamilton’s Mexico Drive Becomes Ray of Hope

Ever since the start of the 2022 season, Mercedes has been a mess. The Brackley outfit completely botched their interpretation of the regulations and created a disaster for a car. However, despite all its shortcomings, George Russell secured a solitary race win in the 2022 Brazilian GP. 12 months on as we head to another edition of the race at Interlagos, the Mercedes boss Toto Wolff now has to put his faith in Lewis Hamilton to repeat the feat.

In his second season with Mercedes, Russell has been a shadow of his 2022 self. The young Brit has fallen down in the pecking order as Hamilton is back to his brilliant best. This is exactly why the boss is putting his faith in the seven-time world champion ahead of the 2023 Brazilian GP.

Disappointing George Rusell pushed aside as Toto Wolff puts his faith in Lewis Hamilton for the upcoming Brazilian GP

Toto Wolff has green-lit a lot of changes in the current season and they have all been extremely fruitful. The new sidepod and now floor are doing wonders for the W14. In fact, the new upgrades have come as a huge boost for Hamilton, but perhaps not for Russell. We saw this aspect of the upgrades in both Austin and Mexico and that is exactly Hamilton is the ray of hope instead of Russell.

“We have had such a long journey together that over those 12 years, we have been building each other up,” he said as quoted by the Guardian. “There are occasions when he needed support then we would do this and the other way around. I have never had a millimetre of doubt about Lewis’s driving and I have told him [that] more often than he wanted to hear it. On Sunday you saw it. It was just the perfect drive.”

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Now we know who Mercedes is backing for the 2023 Brazilian GP. In fact, it’s a two-way street as after the US and Mexican GP results, the Brit is confident in his team as well now.

Lewis Hamilton’s hopes get a boost after the Mexican GP

Hamilton had been extremely unhappy with the previous edition of the Mercedes Challenger. However, the Brit did not back down and always backed the team back in Brackley. The fruits of which he is bearing now as he feels competitive again. However, the car is still not capable enough to catch the Red Bull man at the front. Although, Hamilton isn’t losing hope and believes his team will deliver sooner rather than later.

“I know we can build a great car. We haven’t for the past two years – but we can,” said Hamilton. “I think we are progressing. But I’ve heard that Red Bull are progressing as well. So we have to be really, really strategic and clinical – they [Mercedes] know that already – in order to be battling those guys.”

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The Brit is keeping his hopes up and his head down until he gets a car that can challenge Red Bull. Until then, it’s consistency and drive that prove he has still got it.