George Russell has locked in a driver’s seat with Mercedes for the foreseeable future while Lewis Hamilton’s contract talks are still ongoing.
British driver George Russell is said to have made a long-term commitment to Mercedes while his teammate Lewis Hamilton and the team are currently in contract negotiations.
Russell’s job at the Brackley outfit appears to be secure, despite the focus on the seven-time world champion’s future given that his contract is slated to expire after the 2023 season.
Ahead of the Monaco Grand, there were rumors that Hamilton might join the Ferrari squad, but both the British driver and the Ferrari management have denied any talk of a switch of any sort.
While F1 experts and fans awaited word on Hamilton’s contract renewal, he gave a hint that there would be clarification after the Spanish Grand Prix by saying he had a meeting with team principal Toto Wolff scheduled.
“I haven’t signed anything yet,” Hamilton said at the Spanish Grand Prix. “I think I’m meeting Toto tomorrow, so hopefully we can get something done.”
Russell’s position as the Mercedes seems to be unshakeable, while Hamilton’s future is still up in the air. The British driver, who joined the Silver Arrows at the beginning of last season, is reportedly planning to stay with the team for a lengthy period as he pursues his Formula 1 career.
Russell won the Formula 2 championship in 2018 and made his Formula 1 debut the following year, joining Williams, a Mercedes customer team.
He was recognized for his outstanding performance at the wet 2021 Belgian Grand Prix, where he qualified in an impressive second place and eventually earned his first podium. He was instrumental in reviving the struggling Williams team.
Russell became Hamilton’s teammate at Mercedes in 2022, taking Valtteri Bottas’ position, and outperformed the seven-time champion, scoring 275 points to Hamilton’s 240.
The 25-year old also won the Sao Paulo Grand Prix and earned Mercedes the only pole position of the year in Hungary. He has already finished on the podium in the current 2023 Formula 1 season with a third-place finish in Spain.
