How many teammates have beaten Lewis Hamilton in his glorious 16-year-long career? Two. Jenson Button and Nico Rosberg. Both of them became world champions. George Russell, who outperformed Lewis Hamilton last year, keeps the stat close to his heart wanting to become a champion one day. To add to that, Lewis has gone 17 months without a win while Russell registered his only win in 2022. Perhaps this is the reason why the younger Briton has been considered a bigger threat.

Peter Windsor who stated that Lewis Hamilton is faster than Michael Schumacher, has also snubbed the former in favor of 1x GP winner Russell. Rumors of Lewis being offered a $49,000,000 contract by Ferrari are getting ripe, but before this, there were also conjectures of a swap between Mercedes and Maranello. Meaning Leclerc will go to Mercedes. But would he want Russell as a teammate?

In a live YouTube chat, Windsor said, “I mean, George is super quick, and it’s a big thing for Charles Leclerc to go to Mercedes. If he goes to put himself up against George Russell, you know he if he said to Charles right now if he was here and you’re having dinner whatever tonight privately who would you rather have in the other Merc if you’re going to go, George or Lewis, he’d say Lewis for sure you know.”

But why is a 1x GP winner being hailed over the man who has won 103 Grands Prix?

Russell has always been a promising talent. The man who filled in for Lewis Hamilton at the Sakhir GP 2020 could have had his first win back then had fate not intervened. Nevertheless, he arrived at Mercedes two seasons later and beat their world champion.

Windsor said, “George is a serious player, but he’s got slightly less margin for error and he drives I think he drives very like Ayrton actually apart from the throttle business I think he’s right on the edge but you know there’s no margin really with George. There’s no margin with any of them except that when something goes slightly wrong a driver who’s a manipulative softer input driver has got a little bit more of area in which to play.”

Do you think George Russell will become a champion with Mercedes before Lewis makes a go for his 8th?