George Russell insists Lewis Hamilton has been guaranteed “equal opportunities” at the Mercedes Formula 1 team through 2024 despite his impending switch to Ferrari.
The bombshell revelation was dropped on the eve of the season that Hamilton had activated a break clause in his Mercedes deal to agree a move to the Italian marque.
Hamilton’s exit at the end of the campaign will bring the curtain down on a successful stint with the German outfit that has seen him win six Drivers’ titles and 82 races.
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff clarified ahead of the racing commencing that Hamilton would continue to receive the same treatment as Russell in his final season.
When asked in Australia how his influence in the team had changed since the news, Russell was adamant Mercedes ensures both drivers are placed on an even footing.
“I think, since obviously Lewis’ news, I think Lewis has been incredibly professional with the team and the working relationship with everybody within Mercedes,” he said.
“It’s like nothing has changed whatsoever. And the team have been so great in giving us both equal opportunities. It’s always been that from the outset.
“And I think that’s whenever upgrades are brought into the car, it’s going to both of us at the same time. Whereas other teams, it goes to one before the other.
“That’s always the way Mercedes want to give both drivers the best chance of achieving the best result and going into next year, no matter who my team-mate is going to be, that will still continue to be the same.”
Despite winter optimism that it had eradicated the limitations of its predecessors with its revamped car, Mercedes has endured a harrowing start to the current season.
Hamilton has rued the inconsistent spikes he has encountered with the W15 which have seen him lag behind his less experienced team-mate across the opening rounds.
But the seven-time champion refuted the notion that he had downed tools amid Mercedes’ ongoing struggles, citing that he remains inspired by the team’s togetherness.
“I’m trying to grab everything to add performance to the car,” he said. “Performance in the car but also for myself, I have to be very self-critical of these last couple of races.
“From my point of view, areas that I need to improve, that’s the nature of life. You can’t always be perfect. Having that synergy with the car, I think it’s something that you’re constantly searching for. And George has been doing a great job but also he has problems with struggling with that synergy also.
“So I think what I love about, even though we’re not competing for wins right now, what I love is the teamwork.
“The work that’s going on in the background, the conversations we have and how united we are is, for me, it’s a real pleasure to work with these people who are focused and they’re all rowing in the same direction. Kind of upstream at the moment but we’ll get there.”
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