Lewis Hamilton told he would lose TWO F1 world titles on one condition

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Saudi Arabia, 2025 — Photo: © IMAGO

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Lewis Hamilton told he would lose TWO F1 world titles on one condition

One of Lewis Hamilton's rivals has delivered a bold take

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Thursday 1 May 2025 08:27

George Russell has cast doubt over Lewis Hamilton’s world titles at Mercedes, after the Brit claimed he would already be a world champion if he raced alongside Hamilton during the hybrid era.

The 40-year-old dominated F1 from 2014 until 2021, where he won six out of seven of his world championships and cemented his status as one of the greatest drivers the sport has ever seen.

However, his former team-mate at Mercedes, Russell, who did not join the team until 2022, believes that if he competed with the outfit during this period he would have snatched a couple of titles away from the champion.

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"Everybody is in Lewis’ shadow, being team-mates with a seven-time world champion for three years is not straightforward,” Russell said to The Athletic.

"There was once a time that if you finished ahead of Lewis Hamilton in a championship or in a race, you’d win the race. Or, if you finish ahead of the championship, you’d win the championship.

“If my time was five years prior, you could argue I’d have two championships to my name.”

Could George Russell become an F1 champion?

Russell has enjoyed an impressive start to the 2025 season, which has earned him praise from Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, and remains in championship contention despite his team’s pace deficit to McLaren.

The British driver also comprehensively beat Hamilton in his final season in Mercedes last year, and was particularly strong in qualifying where he bested the champion on 19 occasions.

"I’m just going about my business, as I have been the last couple of years,” Russell continued.

"I’m working with the same group of engineers, the same group of mechanics. Obviously, Lewis was such a large presence that you know that he’s not around.

"But on the day-to-day running of things, it is no different, I'm sat at my desk in front of my computer.

"I do my warm-up in my room, I jump in my race car, I put my helmet on. I want to control my own destiny first and foremost."

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F1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes George Russell Toto Wolff