George Russell says Lewis Hamilton and himself maintain a strong trust between them which their occasional on-track skirmishes in 2023 did not erode.
The Mercedes drivers found themselves at odds with each other a few times last season, but Russell insists the contacts were largely due to the frequency of their interactions, considering their evenly matched equipment and driving abilities.
The pair suffered a flash point in qualifying in Spain, but the duo's most dramatic encounter unfolded at the Qatar Grand Prix.
As they battled for position on the run down to Turn 1, a collision occurred, sending Hamilton spinning off the track and out of contention.
The seven-time world champion initially blamed his teammate for the DNF but after reviewing footage of the incident, Hamilton acknowledged his error and took full responsibility for the clash.
“I think it’s normal when you’re so close in performance, when you’re lapping at the same lap times or you’re starting next to one another on the grid - you’re always going to be close,” explained Russell, quoted by Motorsport.com.
“We always go through our strategies [in] meetings. The pace difference between the two of us is zero.
“We’re always going to be going across a 24-race season, an average of 60 laps per race, we cross paths a lot and he’s the driver I cross paths with the most.
"So, I think that’s probably what we put it down to.”
Overall, the relationship between Russell and Hamilton is one of respect and mutual understanding, underpinned by their shared desire to succeed.
While their on-track battles may be intense, their off-track interactions are characterized by professionalism and a focused approach to achieving Mercedes' collective goals.
“There may be tense [moments], it may be hard, but we trust one another,” Russell added.
“We know that we’ll give each other enough space to fight necessarily and not go beyond the limit.
“Obviously, Qatar was just a bit of a lap one small misjudgement. That’s another opportunity where it was another podium or even a potential victory missed.”
Russell, who finished P8 in F1’s Drivers’ standings, described his 2023 campaign as the "most psychologically challenging" of his career.
But he also conceded that pushing himself to new limits against his teammate led to the inevitable mistake.
“I’m purposely trying to push myself further and beyond,” he said. “I’m not satisfied with just being on par with my team-mate in qualifying or whatever it may be.
“Or last year [when] we were very even across the whole season. I want to be ahead.
“That’s what I’m pushing myself for. Perhaps that’s been a small reason for contributing to a couple more mistakes.”
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