Bottas warns Russell: 'I don't see anyone beating Lewis'

Valtteri Bottas believes George Russell will settle in well with Mercedes, but the Finn doesn't see the Brackley squad's recruit consistently beating his former teammate Lewis Hamilton.

The inner-team duel between Hamilton and Russell, or between F1's old and new guard, is one of the most anticipated battles of the 2022 season.

But Bottas, who raced for five seasons alongside Hamilton and never managed to consistently gain the upper hand, doesn't believe that Mercedes' new charger will be more successful in contesting Hamilton's dominant position given his unwavering consistency.

"I don't see anyone else beating Lewis in the near future in the same machinery," Bottas told SunSport.

"George will adjust well because he has been with Mercedes for some years. But beating Lewis is not easy. I have experienced that.

"It is his consistency in his performances. Every driver has a form that is a little bit up and down, but his baseline for performance is just so high.

"Even when he has a bad day it is not too bad. It is his consistency over the season."

Alfa Romeo's new driver also underlined Hamilton's ability to quickly adapt to any given situation, be it on the track or related to his car.

"Another of his key strengths is his ability to adapt to different conditions, the skill to react to changes, be it set-up or whatever," he added.

"This and his race-craft. His tyre management is a special skill and all these things are combined with talent."

• Read also: Russell says Mercedes can't afford any driver friction

In hindsight, Bottas feels proud of the wins he achieved at Mercedes, racing against Hamilton.

"He puts in the work, which not many people see, so he is hard to beat," said the 32-year-old.

"I can be proud that on my day, I've been able to beat him. But not consistently enough to beat him over a season."

With Alfa Romeo, the ten-time Grand Prix winner has opened a new chapter in his decade-long career in F1.

While he likely won't be fighting at the sharp end of the grid at every race, Bottas is happy to take on the role of team leader for the first time in his career and help the Swiss outfit improve its position in the running order.

"When I joined Mercedes, it was difficult for me to take the lead because of Lewis being there," he explained.

"With him being in the team, it was always difficult for me to take that lead role. So now it is different and a fresh start for me – and having that lead role is a good feeling.

"A part of me is always going to miss working at Mercedes. Now I have started looking back at my time there, I have tried to take all the positive moments we had.

"There were great moments and I enjoyed working with Lewis and Toto, but I am also really excited for my new chapter.

"I'm sure with the experience I have with Williams and after five years at Mercedes, I will be able to help the team move forward.

"I feel really comfortable with my role. Yes, there is a responsibility and I have commitments to the team, but it is exciting."

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