Russell on relationship with Hamilton: 'A challenge to be his teammate'

George Russell has completed his first season with Mercedes. The Briton has proven himself by finishing higher in the drivers' championship than Lewis Hamilton. Russell says the seven-time world champion impressed him a lot in 2022.

With a 35-point lead, Russell finished two spots ahead of Hamilton in the 2022 championship. In his debut year with Mercedes, the youngster was expected to be use the campaign to develop and acclimatise to the team, but Russell immediately proved why he deserves a place at the top of F1.

Although the Brackley-based team struggled a lot with the W13 last season, Russell managed to get the most out of his car. He managed to win the first race of his F1 career in Brazil. Moreover, it was also the only win for Mercedes in 2022. He was joined on the podium by Hamilton, who was incredibly happy for his teammate.

Hamilton impressed Russell

On Mercedes' official website Russell describes his working relationship with Hamilton. "The relationship has been harmonious. What impressed me the most with Lewis is seeing how he works with the team, how he gets the most out of the people around him, how he continues to keep morale high when moments are tough and ultimately what I already knew is how damn fast he is and how much of a challenge it is being teammates with a guy like him," the Mercedes driver says.