Russell claims Hamilton exit 'really good' for Mercedes team

George Russell has admitted that life at Mercedes has changed since Lewis Hamilton left the team, in large part for the better.

Hamilton became synonymous with the team over his 12 seasons with them, racking up six drivers' titles in silver and helping them to eight constructors' championships.

However, as the team’s performances dipped following the regulation changes in 2022, Hamilton was looking less at home at Mercedes, especially as his team-mate Russell began to out-pace him.

In 2025, Hamilton completed a stunning switch to Ferrari and Russell has discussed the atmosphere at the team without Hamilton, including how the team is better for it.

"For sure, it's a different feeling within the team. But ultimately, you only look towards one thing, which is the performance,” the Brit said to Motorsport.com.

“We obviously started really well. Now we've had a run of bad form. I hope we can get that back on track, but there's always pros and cons to every change that you make in any organisation.

"But I think the change was with Lewis. It's good for him. It's really good for us as a team; a fresh start. Sometimes you need to break that mould to find yourself back on track."

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Can Mercedes return to championship contention?

Russell has been one of the only drivers outside of Max Verstappen and the McLarens to achieve a race win in 2025, after enjoying a tremendous start to the season.

The Brit is yet to sign a fresh contract with Mercedes for next season, where the Silver Arrows are tipped to master the new set of engine regulations just as they did in 2014 - the year that launched Hamilton’s dominant success.

It could indeed come as a shock to Hamilton to see his former team once again at the top, particularly if the Ferrari fails to deliver in 2026.

Hamilton’s current struggles in F1 have given rise to talk that he could retire from the sport if he is not competitive in the 2026 car, after a series of post-race interviews in Hungary raised concern.

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