George Russell has warned Toto Wolff that a breakdown in the connection with Lewis Hamilton could have a serious effect on Mercedes’ possibilities in 2023. The previous Williams star stressed any issues within the dynamic between the teammates would “have an effect on the team”. Nevertheless, the 24-year-old has predicted this could come “full circle” and affect their on-track performances.
With this in mind, Russell goals to maintain the harmony in place into 2023 because the Silver Arrows aim to shut the gap to Red Bull. Russell has admitted he and Hamilton were “on this together” after a disappointing 2022 yielded little success.
In line with Autosport, he said: “We’ve got no reason to have conflict. Now we have got a great relationship. We’d like to provide one another respect, and I feel we gave one another respect [in Mexico]… We recognise the importance of that inside the whole team.
“If our relationship starts to interrupt up, it’s going to have an effect on the team and ultimately it’s going to go full circle and affect us as well.
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Russell finished contained in the top five at almost every race he finished while also picking up the squad’s only win of the season. Hamilton has praised Russell’s performance and revealed the pair still enjoyed a “strong” working relationship.
He explained: “I’m so much older and I have been with the team so long. So managing whatever challenges we give you moving forward, we have been through a lot that I do not think it will be an issue.
Hamilton added: “It has been super easy to mix in. He uses my steering wheel, and he’s obviously got to do the test days prior to the yr, so I feel he’s just blended in perfectly and he’s been a positive force within the team. He’s helped keep the equilibrium within the team, by way of the working relationship I feel it’s strong.”
