1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve believes George Russell has proved a “wake-up call” for Lewis Hamilton after a “comfortable” time alongside Valtteri Bottas.
The 2024 F1 season will be Hamilton's third season as teammate of younger compatriot Russell, who took over the Mercedes team from Valtteri Bottas in 2022, ending an ultra-successful driver duo. becomes.
George Russell was Lewis Hamilton's 'wake-up call'
With Hamilton and Bottas at the wheel, Mercedes won every drivers' and constructors' championship on offer between 2017 and 2021, but all five of those titles went to Hamilton. Bottas was unable to mount a title challenge at any point. his teammates.
Russell's arrival coincided with the beginning of F1's new ground effects era and the downfall of Mercedes. The 26-year-old's win in Brazil in 2022 was Mercedes' only victory since the new regulations came into force, and was the debut season in which Russell outscored Hamilton in every match. Year. Hamilton fought back in 2023, but Russell started 2024 F1 as the stronger Mercedes driver.
And in an interview with GP fans, Villeneuve said that Russell's presence in Mercedes was a “wake-up call” for seven-time world champion Hamilton, who announced before the season that he would make a surprise move to Ferrari from 2025. revealed.
“It's difficult for a driver who has been winning for many years, but there have been years when it was easy, especially when Bottas was his teammate,” Villeneuve said of Hamilton.
“Basically he was alone in the championship. He didn't even have to do his best to win, like he did in his first championship. Or he could play against Nico for a few more years. [Rosberg] Because Nico was really pushing him.
“He became very comfortable with Bottas and when George came in in 2022, I felt like he woke up a little bit.
“George had a young energy that wanted to destroy the world, but he did better last year.
“Now, going to Ferrari might be like a small shock to give him a 'youthful' attitude.”
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But before his chapter at Ferrari begins, Hamilton must close his chapter at Mercedes, which didn't start in the best of fashion after finishing seventh and ninth in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia respectively.
Hamilton was particularly depressed in the second half of the race, with 13-time Grand Prix winner and Channel 4 pundit David Coulthard suggesting that Hamilton was already at Ferrari “mentally”, with Mercedes looking ahead to the W15. He emphasized that there is still a huge amount of work left to do.
And if that move comes to fruition, Villeneuve hopes the “Lewis of the winning days” will return.
Hamilton's Villeneuve told Ferrari: “This is one of the best news we've had in a long time.”
“Whether you're a Lewis fan or not, this is big news. This is great news for F1, Ferrari and Lewis. It's good for everyone.
“It'll be exciting to track and hopefully we'll get the Lewis of his winning days back.
“That change might increase that hunger again, that little adrenaline rush that Mercedes didn't have when they couldn't win anymore.”
Hamilton has not tasted victory since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
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