Hamilton: Russell has 'all the qualities' to take Mercedes forward

Lewis Hamilton has offered a ringing endorsement of George Russell's performances in the first half of the 2022 F1 season, insisting his teammate has all the qualities to carry the Mercedes team forward in the future.

The Brackely squad is in the midst of a difficult campaign during which it has been constrained more often than not to F1's mid-field by its troubled new-generation car.

Up until recently, races were an exercise in damage limitation for Mercedes. But recent progress has allowed the reigning world champions to inch closer to their Red Bull and Ferrari rivals.

Amid the complications, Russell has acquitted himself well, scoring a top-five finish in every race so far this season save for the British Grand Prix where a start-line crash at Silverstone eliminated him on the spot.

Russell has also outscored Hamilton by 19 points in the Drivers' standings. Although the 24-year-old has been a tough not to crack for Hamilton, the pair's collaboration has been both harmonious and productive.

"I won't say it's been tough [being Russell’s teammate], it's been pleasant, we've worked together incredibly well," said Hamilton when asked to assess Russell's performance since the start of the season.

"George has been super positive… had a positive impact on the work environment. It's generally been a real pleasure to work with him and it's been great to see his success."

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There is no doubt that a first career win in F1 is on the horizon for Russell, and the Briton would have perhaps already stood on the highest step of the podium had Mercedes fielded a competitive car at the outset.

But Hamilton still sees his teammate as a work in progress, and one that he will gladly support.

"He's done such a great job, got great points for the team and he's going to continue to improve, he's going to continue to improve for a long time," added Hamilton.

"I definitely see that he's got so much potential in him [to be a world champion] and he's in the right place for it as well.

"I really think that - whether or not I'm here - he has all the qualities to help take this team forward in the future and lead them to success, so I think it's been the right choice for the team.

"I hope I can be a little bit of a part of helping him progress."

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