Revealed: Hamilton and Russell’s relationship in F1 2022
Mercedes replaced Valtteri Bottas with Russell for this campaign, marking their first driver change since Nico Rosberg’s shock retirement at the end of 2016.
Given Russell’s potential coming into the team, there were fears that the previous calm atmosphere between Hamilton and Bottas would be eroded.
However, things have remained civil between Hamilton and Russell, partially down to Mercedes not having a car capable of challenging for wins or the championship.
Speaking after Hamilton’s P2 finish at the United States Grand Prix, Wolff revealed that his current drivers have a “really respectful and constructive relationship”.
“It’s really difficult to be friends in the paddock especially if you’re teammates but what I see is a really respectful and constructive relationship,” Wolff said. “I’ve never seen before two drivers that in a meeting they’re saying ‘What are you feeling in that corner?’ ‘Have you got the same problem?’.
“There’s a real active exchange rather than keeping their cards to their chest so I think that’s good for us.”
Russell currently sits 20 points ahead of Hamilton in the drivers’ standings with three rounds remaining.
The former Williams driver showed incredible consistency in the first half of the season, failing only to finish outside the top five on just one occasion - at Silverstone - when he crashed out.
Despite being ahead of his legendary teammate, Russell admitted in Austin that winning races and championships is his main aim, not just beating Hamilton.
“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 said in Austin.
“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.
“There are examples like in Montreal when I took the gamble on the slicks. If I just wanted to beat my teammate I would have stayed out on the wets and made sure that was my focus but we had to roll the dice.”
