Mercedes stars George Russell and Lewis Hamilton NOT alike claims F1 team boss

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell — Photo: © LAT Images

Mercedes

Mercedes star Russell has potential and is unlike Hamilton claims F1 team boss

Mercedes team-mates George Russell and Lewis Hamilton will be looking to combine for another double podium at the Canadian Grand Prix

Matthew Hobkinson Lead Editor

F1 Editor & Journalist

Friday 16 June 2023 18:57

Williams team principal James Vowles has claimed that Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are "very different" to one another, but that the latter can go on to become a world champion just like his Mercedes team-mate.

Given Red Bull's dominance in the RB19 this season, any championship charge for Mercedes appears to have been put on ice for this year at least.

Hamilton and Russell will of course still push as hard as they can for the remaining races, but they will both have their eyes on a shot at the 2024 title if Mercedes can get their development right.

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And Vowles, who worked as the senior race strategy engineer at Mercedes before he became the Williams team principal, believes the pair both bring their own individual qualities to the team.

'Russell is very different to Hamilton'

{inlineimage[https://sportsbase.io/images/gpfans/copy_620x348/22ce7085718122e2f98e6bc9a87b704b23e653ed.jpg][Verstappen, Hamilton and Russell celebrate on the podium after the Spanish Grand Prix][2]}

'Russell is very different to Hamilton'

Verstappen, Hamilton and Russell celebrate on the podium after the Spanish Grand Prix

"Lewis has such an amount of natural talent," he told the Sky Sports F1 podcast. "But his work... every year, he steps it up. What he did last year was not good enough for the following year.

"That's the definition of F1. George was a talent I've known for many years and really grew up into who he is today. He has such potential in front of him. He's very different to Lewis.

"It's not so much one preference or otherwise, they all bring something different to the table, but [are] successful as a result of it. It's more learning from each of them as individuals as to what makes them tick and what makes them grow.

"What they all have in common is they are all world champions or future world champions. That same dedication for going after every millisecond is inherent in all of them."