Lewis Hamilton and George Russell have been team-mates at Mercedes for 3 years till the seven-time F1 champion selected to affix rivals Ferrari for this 2025 season
George Russell has predicted “we are going to see extra of that magic” from Lewis Hamilton when he lastly finds his groove at Ferrari. Up to now, his high-profile swap to the Italian crew has yielded little success.
In simply his second race with the crew, Hamilton gained the dash on the Chinese language Grand Prix. That consequence naturally raised expectations however Ferrari have been introduced crashing all the way down to earth simply someday later when each he and team-mate Charles Leclerc have been disqualified from the principle occasion in Shanghai.
Hamilton’s outcomes aside from that dash win have been forgettable. The 40-year-old admits there may be nonetheless a protracted solution to go earlier than he’s snug in Ferrari equipment whereas there has additionally been one thing of a tradition shock for the Brit as he adapts to life surrounded by new colleagues, most of them Italian.
However his former team-mate Russell nonetheless believes there are much better issues to return from the seven-time Components 1 champion. “After Fernando [Alonso] he is essentially the most skilled driver on the grid,” the Mercedes driver stated.
“He is a seven-time World champion, and he is an unimaginable particular person and racing driver. We noticed it in China, second race of the season, on pole within the dash, wins the race comfortably.
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“I do know what he is able to, and it isn’t straightforward going into a brand new crew and the competitors is hard. However he is a tremendous driver and I am certain, when issues begin to click on, as they did in China, we’ll see extra of that magic.”
Hamilton’s poor outcomes have been exacerbated by some Ferrari operational errors and a basic lack of tempo of their automobile. Leclerc, who has been concerned with the Italian crew for a few years, has solely seven factors greater than Hamilton’s complete of 25 heading into this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
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The Brit insists he isn’t fazed, although, amid the discuss of “disaster” surrounding F1’s most well-known marque proper now. “On one aspect it is to be anticipated – it is the best crew in Components 1 historical past, it is that particular,” he stated.
“In fact there’s extra tales which can be written about it and other people have opinions. And it isn’t all the time been easy crusing. So, simply from my perspective, you possibly can’t work with a crew and alter issues in a single day.”
Group principal Frederic Vasseur acknowledged there may be enchancment to be made on each side as he assessed Hamilton’s begin to life with Ferrari. He stated: “You will not substitute 12 years of collaboration in two weeks or in two races. For certain, we have to enhance – however I feel that is true for everyone within the crew, within the paddock.
“It is good to have Lewis with this mindset to say, ‘Okay, I’ve to enhance additionally myself and to adapt myself to the automobile.’ We’ll work on the automobile to adapt the automobile to Lewis, however he additionally has to do a step. And I feel this, between us, is completed in a optimistic method and a really constructive method.”
