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Lewis Hamilton after beating team-mate Nico Rosberg to pole in Singapore in 2014

Russell eager to avoid Hamilton-Rosberg level of acrimony at Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton after beating team-mate Nico Rosberg to pole in Singapore in 2014 — Photo: © LAT Images

Russell eager to avoid Hamilton-Rosberg level of acrimony at Mercedes

Hamilton has endured tense relationships with team-mates in the past

Ian Parkes & Sam Hall

Mercedes has "made it absolutely clear" to George Russell that it does not want a repeat of the bitter relationship that developed between former team-mates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

Russell will race alongside Hamilton in 2022, with Valtteri Bottas departing after five years in Brackley.

Although the two enjoyed a favourable relationship, a trio of championship battles fought between Hamilton and Rosberg from 2014-16 saw the pair's relationship badly deteriorate.

“I think Mercedes have had clear experience of a poor dynamic within the team and they’ve made it absolutely clear that they don’t want a repeat, and on a personal level as well, I don’t want that either," said Russell.

“I think it’s important as team-mates to work together to push the team and next year it’s a new car, it’s new regulations.

“There are no guarantees of who is going to have the fastest car so I guess it's our job as drivers to push that forward."

At 36 years of age, Hamilton is 13 years Russell's senior, a factor Russell believes will prevent their future relationship from going sour.

"I’d say as well, Lewis and I are at very different stages of our career which I think also helps," he explained.

“I have a huge amount of respect for him. I think just being so much younger and looking up to him as a young karting driver changes that dynamic a lot, too.

“So I don’t see there being any issues at all.”

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