Mercedes’ George Russell has revealed that his relationship with his former teammate Lewis Hamilton has actually grown stronger since the seven-time world champion made the switch to Ferrari at the start of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Despite now racing for rival teams, the two Britons remain in regular contact — with Russell even turning to Hamilton for advice on occasion as he continues a pursuit of his own success in F1.
Since joining Mercedes in 2022, Russell has proven himself a reliable and competitive force. He finished ahead of Hamilton in two of their three seasons together — an achievement that impressed the F1 paddock.
Still, Russell remains grounded about his progress.
“I just drive, week in, week out,” he said, in an interview with German website Motorsport-Total. “I’ve always said that I’m not afraid to be anyone’s team-mate.
“At the end of 2021, Lewis was the hottest property in the field. Nobody would have thought that anyone at Mercedes could beat him as a team-mate. I came in and performed from the first race. I always believed in myself.”
Russell also drew comparisons between Hamilton’s once-unbeatable reputation and that of current title leader Max Verstappen.
“The reputation he had is the same as Max has now,” he added. “Nobody believes that Max is beatable. And people thought the same about Lewis back then.
“People forget that Lewis came into Formula 1 as a rookie and finished on the podium every time in his first [nine] races, with a two-time world champion as his team-mate. That says a lot.”
Russell and Hamilton enjoyed a harmonious relationship during their three seasons together at Mercedes. But the 27-year-old revealed that their relationship had surprisingly not faded since Hamilton’s transfer to Ferrari, quite the contrary.
“No – if anything, it’s actually become a bit closer,” Russell shared. “We sometimes fly together and talk to each other more often off the track.”
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Russell also opened up about his appreciation for Hamilton beyond the track.
“Lewis is someone whose company I really enjoy. Of course, he’s extremely in the limelight, more than any of us — and sometimes a protective shield goes up. But in an intimate setting, he’s someone I get on really well with.”
The relationship has also become a valuable resource for Russell, who appreciates the chance to learn from one of the sport’s greatest drivers of all time.
“It’s nice to have someone like him, someone I can ask for advice from time to time, because he’s at a completely different stage in his career,” he said.
As for his own championship hopes, Russell believes patience and consistency are key.
Citing the careers of F1 legends like Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel, and Michael Schumacher, he cautioned against assuming early success guarantees long-term dominance.
“Look at Fernando [Alonso]: He comes in, wins two titles in his first four years, and people say, ‘He’s going to get ten.’ He hasn’t won a title since,” he remarked.
“Or Sebastian [Vettel]: He wins four and then no more.
“If you look at Michael Schumacher, it took him five years at Ferrari before he won his first title there. This is now my fourth year at Mercedes, next year will be my fifth…”
Regarding the future, Russell remains optimistic but realistic.
“Nobody knows when their time will come,” he concluded. “You just have to make sure that you keep performing consistently, keep delivering. And what happens then – only time will tell.”
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