While George Russell wishes to be faster than Lewis Hamilton, he believes he has equaled “the greatest of all time” in F1 2023 and must draw benefits from that.
Russell has now spent two seasons as seven-time World Champion Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate, however the second season did not go as well as the first.
Russell finished his first season with the Silver Arrows ahead of Hamilton in the standings, but that swung for F1 2023, which produced a comfortable defeat for Russell over his renowned team-mate.
George Russell matching Lewis Hamilton pace
Russell reflected on his F1 2023 season, considering it one of the most peculiar in his career, characterized by a lack of cohesive results, with only two podium finishes achieved throughout the campaign.
Despite the challenges, Russell asserts that his performance matches Hamilton’s outright pace. While he expresses the desire to surpass Hamilton rather than settling for equality, he acknowledges the need for a “realistic” perspective. Russell recognizes the significance of being on par with Hamilton, the driver with a remarkable 103 grand prix victories.
In an interview with the Telegraph, Russell stated, “I’ve maintained a similar level to Lewis throughout this year, on average. While my aspiration is to outperform him, I also need to be pragmatic. I’m competing against the greatest driver in history, and he serves as an exceptional benchmark. Qualifying statistics, including sprint races, demonstrate our parity. Our pace is generally comparable as well.”
Russell emphasizes the positives in his performance, stating, “There are encouraging aspects. Frankly, I would rather be here without the desired results but with the matching pace. I prefer that to relying on fortunate outcomes while being slightly off the pace in terms of speed.”
George Russell is not feeling the pressure
Russell had the opportunity to secure a second victory in his Formula 1 career at the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix. Unfortunately, his aspirations were dashed when he crashed out in the closing stages while challenging leader Carlos Sainz for the win.
The Singapore race marked the “lowest point of the season” for Russell. Despite facing setbacks, he dismissed the notion that he was succumbing to second-season syndrome or buckling under the pressure in his second season with Mercedes alongside Hamilton.
Russell acknowledged a few minor incidents that occurred during the season, a departure from his previous years’ performance. He expressed the need to understand the reasons behind these occurrences, emphasizing that it wasn’t due to pressure. He clarified that the presence of the “greatest driver of all time” in the form of Hamilton next to him did not affect his approach to his job, and there was no added pressure.
Both Hamilton and Russell extended their contracts with Mercedes during the F1 2023 season, committing to stay with the team until the conclusion of 2025.