'Hamilton usually has his ego flown in by jumbo jet'

Former Formula 1 driver Christian Danner fears Ferrari made a mistake in letting Mattia Binotto go. He also lets his light shine on Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, between whom things could still get interesting, according to Danner.

During the past Formula 1 season, people watched Mercedes with bated breath as Hamilton was finally joined by a competitive teammate. However, there did not seem to be a tense atmosphere, although that may have been partly due to the German racing stable's less competitive season.

Will tensions rise at Mercedes?

Danner does expect those tensions to increase. "They are an interesting duo in terms of personalities, because Lewis Hamilton usually has his ego flown in by jumbo jet and George Russell is more of a chatterbox who approaches things with an open mind. To have those two in one team, I find very exciting," he said to Sport1.

The 64-year-old German also has a few things to say about Binotto's departure. Danner thinks Ferrari made a mistake in letting the team boss go. "There is a magic word for success in Formula 1, and that is continuity," he said.

According to Danner, it is better to analyse the problems and possibly restructure, but it is important to continue working within a large structure. He therefore fears the decision will do the Italian racing stable no good. "I am afraid Ferrari will be set back up three years by the departure of Mattia Binotto," Danner said.