'He will be fresh and then he will get worn down by Lewis' relentlessness'

"It will, absolutely. It will be the making of George up against the driver of a couple of generations," says Coulthard as Channel 4 suggested that it will “kick-off” between Hamilton and Russell.

Conditions at Mercedes are tough, as going up against a seven-time world champion is difficult. But according to the former Formula 1 driver, that is exactly what the 23-year-old driver needs. "This is where George Russell becomes the making of a future World Champion. Because he hasn’t been pushed by any of his teammates, it will be very different with Lewis."

Russell should not expect everything to go smoothly straight away. Coulthard expects the young Briton to alternate good weekends with days when Hamilton is very much faster. “In the beginning, he will just be young and full of energy, he will be fresh and then he will get worn down by the relentlessness of Lewis, and that’s the point at which he will grow as a man," the Scot concluded.