George Russell reveals Lewis Hamilton change after Mercedes exit

Mercedes F1 star George Russell has admitted a change in his relationship with Lewis Hamilton since the pair parted ways as team-mates.

The British racing duo competed alongside one another under Toto Wolff's watch between 2022 and 2024, until Hamilton opted to head to Ferrari in hopes of achieving a record-breaking eighth world title.

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Russell's arrival at Mercedes coincided with not only the end of the team's era of domination but also the decline in Hamilton's performance.

With seven championships to his name, however, Hamilton remained as the outfit's number-one driver with Russell constantly pushing him to improve as his number-two.

No one quite expected the former Williams driver to be as competitive as he was alongside Hamilton, putting pressure on the champion, especially throughout their last season together when Russell was consistently outperforming him in qualifying

Speaking to motorsporttotal.com recently, Russell responded to the question of whether the contact between he and Hamilton has faded since the champion departed the Silver Arrows, providing an update on their relationship.

"No, if anything, it's actually become a bit closer;" Russell revealed.

"We sometimes fly together and talk to each other more often off the track."

Hamilton closer to ex-team-mate after F1 split

When further pressed on why Russell felt his relationship with Hamilton improved, the 27-year-old somewhat agreed the absence of rivalry could have prompted the change.

Russell further expanded on this feeling, saying: "Yes, to be honest, I can't say for sure. We just have a good relationship. Lewis is someone whose company I really enjoy.

"Of course, he's in the spotlight, more than any of us - and sometimes a protective shield goes up. But in an intimate setting, he's someone I get on really well with.

"It's nice to have someone like him, someone I can ask for advice from time to time, because he's at a completely different stage in his career."

The latter is certainly true. Throughout 2025 Russell has performed consistently, bar a nightmare in Monaco, meaning he heads into this weekend's Canadian GP fourth in the drivers' championship behind reigning champion Max Verstappen.

Hamilton on the other hand sits in sixth behind new team-mate Charles Leclerc, with their gap of 23 points only exacerbating the opinion of the champion's critics who believe he is now past the prime of his career.

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