Lewis Hamilton’s last-lap cross on George Russell of their ultimate race collectively at Mercedes didn’t forestall the seven-times world champion being out-scored by his workforce mate over the course of 2024.
But it surely did put Hamilton narrowly forward within the factors battle between their pair over their three years as workforce mates. Hamilton scored 697 factors to Russell’s 695: as close to as makes no distinction.
Russell, nevertheless, ended their three years collectively forward on each different metric. That can enhance his confidence that he can assert himself as workforce chief alongside newcomer Andrea Kimi Antonelli subsequent 12 months.
After Hamilton’s low season revelation that he would head to Ferrari for 2025, Russell held the higher hand at Mercedes from the beginning. By Monaco, Hamilton had suffered his seventh qualifying defeat in eight races, and stated he didn’t count on to line up forward of his workforce mate on the grid for the remainder of the 12 months.
It didn’t end up fairly as unhealthy as that, however Hamilton nonetheless went down 19-5. Russell subsequently turned the primary driver to out-qualify Hamilton over a season since Nico Rosberg a decade earlier. It tipped what had beforehand been a nip-and-tuck contest between the pair (they tied in qualifying final season).
Hamilton struggled extra noticeably than Russell with the W15’s perplexing behaviour. Over a race stint he may normally make it comply, however by then he was normally taking part in catch-up after one other Saturday disappointment. Repeatedly Hamilton declared himself proud of the automotive’s steadiness originally of the weekend, solely to show sullen after one other sub-par qualifying efficiency condemned him to a troublesome grand prix.
Though victory considerably fell into Russell’s arms in Austria, he may level to different events when he left a weekend feeling short-changed: Technical bother struck with terrible timing at Silverstone, the crimson flag possible price him a win at Interlagos, and naturally there was his post-win disqualification at Spa.
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When Russell arrived at Mercedes two years in the past, few anticipated the eight-times champions had been about to undergo not only one poor season, however the first of three. In consequence, each drivers needed to settle for the pursuit of final efficiency typically wanted to take a again seat whereas they puzzled over the intricacies of one other disappointing chassis.
However with Hamilton nearing 40, his typically unconvincing ultimate season at Mercedes will provoke inevitable questions on whether or not he’s previous his greatest, or simply wasn’t all the time capable of ship it in a automotive he plainly by no means clicked with. That’s a query which gained’t be answered till we see him alongside Charles Leclerc at Ferrari.
In fact Hamilton’s subsequent workforce principal, Frederic Vasseur, gave brief shrift to the concept that the motive force he simply signed is shedding his contact. He’ll be hoping he’s proper, however Russell’s bettering qualifying efficiency in comparison with Hamilton seems extra like a pattern than a one-off.
Hamilton vs Russell: 2022-24
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Hamilton vs Russell outcomes abstract
2022
2023
2024
Unrepresentative comparisons omitted. Detrimental worth: Hamilton was sooner; Optimistic worth: Russell was sooner
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