“George Russell! Into the wall & Out of the race!” Every driver must have felt the agonizing shout of “NOOO” by George Russell after he crashed out at the Singapore GP, more so by his teammate Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time champ has been in such situations several times over his 16-year career. This was one instance where he benefitted from a podium amid George’s misery. Still, Lewis ensured he gave some words of wisdom despite knowing that Russell might be a wounded lion in a few days’ time at the Japanese GP.

Right after his 196th podium, Hamilton posted on Instagram, summarizing the mixed-bag yet promising showing by the Silver Arrows at Marina Bay. Lewis stated, “Every weekend we fight together as a team and it’s always a tough battle. First, huge props to George. He had an amazing drive all weekend and deserved to be on the podium. Unfortunate for him not to finish but he will bounce back.” Lewis knows how hard George can push him & even beat his pace consistently. Therefore, come Suzuka, will the 38-year-old be able to hold off Russell keen on redemption, just a few days after his Singapore crash?

Will Lewis Hamilton & George Russell clash at the Japanese GP?

Lewis Hamilton & George Russell were always going to be a feisty pairing. Many had anticipated Russell to make an instant impact & he did. Matching Hamilton’s pace at most races since last year, the 25-year-old has won Mercedes’s only race in the last 21 months! There is an argument whether Lewis could have won the Singapore GP last week had he been ahead of George chasing Lando Norris & Carlos Sainz. God knows, but this mystery may get an answer in the coming races.

Mercedes has been on an upward trend in terms of performance, leaving behind the likes of Aston Martin. While McLaren & Ferrari show some promise, Hamilton & Russell’s consistency should clinch P2 for the Brackley team in the constructors. Although, as they did last year, a win & a big result like Brazil is yet to come. Thus, if the Mercedes duo is up there fighting for a win, with a reverse scenario of Singapore, it is highly likely that Russell would want to get past Hamilton for redemption.

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This has been a bubbling rivalry in F1 that many experts believe could blow up if they get a car to fight for top positions. Lewis knows the fiery nature of George’s racecraft & how consistently he pushed him on multiple occasions. However, what happened at Marina Bay is a classic example of how experience matters in crunch situations; that led Hamilton to the podium & Russell into the wall.

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Suzuka is an old-school track that has every element to challenge drivers. Any mistake like Russell’s last lap error & the drivers go in the gravel or the barriers! Thus, can the man from King’s Lynn regain his confidence to beat his seven-time champion teammate in the historic land of Japan? He certainly thinks so!

Russell is willing to come back stronger at the Japanese GP

After having a near-miss at his 2nd win, George Russell was seen crestfallen & devastated in the Singapore paddock. Calling himself a f***ing rookie reflected his psychological state in an obvious manner. 3 years back, the Mercedes man experienced a similar setback at the 2020 Sakhir GP, losing out on the win in his stand-in appearance for Lewis Hamilton. However, Russell is persistent enough to make a comeback just like he did post that loss.

In his post-race interview, George stated how he is going to deal with his Singapore GP loss & prepare for the Japanese GP in less than a week’s time. He said, “It was exciting out there and it’s heart-breaking to be standing here with zero points. Nevertheless, there are positives to take away. I will likely have a bad night tonight and even tomorrow morning. But I will put this behind me and come back stronger next weekend in Japan.”

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One may wonder if Mercedes will be as competitive ahead of the Red Bulls in Suzuka or not. Being one of their home tracks (courtesy of Honda), everyone expects the Milton Keynes team to make a strong comeback in Japan. So, amid all that, can Lewis Hamilton & George Russell make their way onto the podium again, let alone fight for the win?