Lewis Hamilton stated that George Russell had a more advantageous car setup during the Bahrain GP Qualifying. Mercedes had a disappointing weekend at the opening of the 2024 season, struggling to keep up with their competitors in Qualifying. The seven-time world champion claimed that his car was set up more for the race compared to Russell’s, who is 26 years old. However, Hamilton was also outperformed by his teammate in the Grand Prix. Now, Russell has raised doubts about his world champion teammate’s comments.
George Russell mentioned that many in the paddock were surprised to see Hamilton struggle in the race. The 26-year-old driver stated that there was no significant difference between the setups of the two Mercedes cars. Russell believed that, from what he knew, Lewis Hamilton actually adopted a quite similar setup.
Furthermore, Russell claimed that he didn’t pay much attention to Hamilton’s car setup. The 26-year-old driver even stated that his own car was more suited to race specifications compared to the seven-time world champion before the Qualifying session. This directly contradicts Hamilton’s statements.
Lewis Hamilton’s announcement of joining Ferrari surprised many in the paddock. However, the departure of the 39-year-old driver would open the door for Russell to become the team leader at Mercedes. In fact, Hamilton himself acknowledged that it would be the ideal role for the 26-year-old driver next year.
Despite Hamilton’s imminent departure, the Mercedes team boss ensured that both drivers will receive fair treatment in 2024. George Russell managed to outperform his world champion teammate during the first round of the season. This could allow the Silver Arrows to gradually shift their focus to their long-term prospect.
Certainly, Lewis Hamilton will be eyeing a strong comeback at the Saudi Arabian GP. However, it seems that George Russell is in a comfortable position at Mercedes, which could pose a challenge for the 39-year-old driver. Fans are waiting to witness an exciting rivalry between these two drivers this year.
