Hamilton on Russell: 'I expect him to have that mentality'

After five seasons with Valtteri Bottas, Lewis Hamilton will have a new teammate with Mercedes in 2022. George Russell makes the switch from Williams to the top team of recent years in his fourth season in Formula 1. The seven-time world champion is looking forward to it.

2022 will be Hamilton's tenth season at Mercedes. In 2013 he replaced Michael Schumacher at the German team and from 2014 onwards Mercedes won everything there was to win. Only in 2016 did not Hamilton but Nico Rosberg take the drivers' title for the team.

Although Hamilton has been with the same team for so long, he is far from thinking about leaving. "One of my close friends and colleagues sent me a message the other day and said, 'You've inspired two thousand people here.' And I thought, 'Wow, if I can still inspire two thousand people after ten years, then I'm in the right place and I still deserve the place I have.' That's a good feeling," Hamilton says in an interview with the BBC.

Next season the still young Russell comes to Mercedes, where he will undoubtedly want to beat Hamilton. "He will want to be fast and want to win. Everything you do when you step into a new role." For the competition, at least, Hamilton is not afraid."I'm in a different place. I really want to see him succeed. There comes a time when I'm not going to continue in this sport and you know, he's my teammate and he's going to be the next Briton I want to see win a world championship."

Russell's arrival at Mercedes reminds Hamilton of his arrival in Formula 1 at McLaren. "I remember competing against [Fernando] Alonso in 2007. Of course, I wanted to beat him at the first race, so I appreciate and expect George to have that mentality, otherwise, he's not a winner, you know?"