Russell pipped Hamilton over three seasons

Lewis Hamilton’s last-lap go on George Russell of their last race collectively at Mercedes didn’t stop the seven-times world champion being out-scored by his group mate over the course of 2024.

However it did put Hamilton narrowly forward within the factors battle between their pair over their three years as group mates. Hamilton scored 697 factors to Russell’s 695: as close to as makes no distinction.

Russell, nevertheless, ended their three years collectively forward on each different metric. That can increase his confidence that he can assert himself as group chief alongside newcomer Andrea Kimi Antonelli subsequent yr.

After Hamilton’s low season revelation that he would head to Ferrari for 2025, Russell held the higher hand at Mercedes from the beginning. By Monaco, Hamilton had suffered his seventh qualifying defeat in eight races, and stated he didn’t count on to line up forward of his group mate on the grid for the remainder of the yr.

Monaco qualifying efficiency dismayed Hamilton

It didn’t prove fairly as dangerous as that, however Hamilton nonetheless went down 19-5. Russell subsequently turned the primary driver to out-qualify Hamilton over a season since Nico Rosberg a decade earlier. It tipped what had beforehand been a nip-and-tuck contest between the pair (they tied in qualifying final season).

Hamilton struggled extra noticeably than Russell with the W15’s perplexing behaviour. Over a race stint he might normally make it comply, however by then he was normally taking part in catch-up after one other Saturday disappointment. Again and again Hamilton declared himself pleased with the automotive’s steadiness initially of the weekend, solely to show sullen after one other sub-par qualifying efficiency condemned him to a tough grand prix.

Though victory considerably fell into Russell’s fingers in Austria, he might level to different events when he left a weekend feeling short-changed: Technical hassle struck with terrible timing at Silverstone, the purple flag possible value him a win at Interlagos, and naturally there was his post-win disqualification at Spa.

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When Russell arrived at Mercedes two years in the past, few anticipated the eight-times champions had been about to undergo not only one poor season, however the first of three. Because of this, each drivers needed to settle for the pursuit of final efficiency typically wanted to take a again seat whereas they puzzled over the intricacies of one other disappointing chassis.

However with Hamilton nearing 40, his usually unconvincing last season at Mercedes will provoke inevitable questions on whether or not he’s previous his finest, or simply wasn’t at all times in a position to ship it in a automotive he plainly by no means clicked with. That’s a query which received’t be answered till we see him alongside Charles Leclerc at Ferrari.

After all Hamilton’s subsequent group principal, Frederic Vasseur, gave brief shrift to the concept the motive force he simply signed is dropping his contact. He’ll be hoping he’s proper, however Russell’s enhancing qualifying efficiency in comparison with Hamilton seems extra like a pattern than a one-off.