George Russell has defended Lewis Hamilton after David Coulthard advised that the seven-time world champion was already specializing in Ferrari.
Hamilton’s 12-year tenure with Mercedes will come to an finish in December as he joins Ferrari for 2025.
The choice to hitch Ferrari appears to have been the fitting one given the 2 groups’ contrasting fortunes within the opening three rounds.
Ferrari stormed to a 1-2 end within the Australian Grand Prix, with Carlos Sainz taking the victory.
Alternatively, Mercedes suffered a double DNF, making it their worst begin to a season in nicely over a decade.
Hamilton has been typically out-performed by Russell, shedding out in all three qualifying periods.
Because of this, Coulthard criticised Hamilton: “He is simply not been settled with this automobile and you’ll inform, , George is simply honing the lap time proper now and you’ll really feel that Lewis is on the again foot.
“What we do know although, if he does discover a window of efficiency, then he’ll ship. However proper now, it is trying like his determination to move off to Ferrari, mentally, he’s already there.”
Nonetheless, Russell has defended his present teammate, insisting “nothing has modified” regardless of the Ferrari information.
“I believe since Lewis’ information, I believe Lewis has been extremely skilled with the workforce and the working relationship with everyone inside Mercedes is like nothing has modified in anyway,” Russell mentioned.
“And the workforce have been so nice. They’ve given us each equal alternatives. It is all the time been that from the outset. And every time upgrades are bringing [sic] to the automobile, it should each of us on the identical time, whereas different groups they go one earlier than the opposite.
“And that’s all the time the best way at Mercedes. They need to give each drivers the very best probability of reaching the very best outcomes after which going into subsequent 12 months, irrespective of who my team-mate goes to be, that may nonetheless proceed to be the identical.”
