George Russell relays the role model Lewis Hamilton while noting of change needed, as Toto Wolff speaks about maintaining his relation with him.
As Mercedes’ Russell already noted about role model Hamilton while talking about how F1 champions should be, the Brit stressed on the same after they ended their journey in Abu Dhabi. The call came at a time when he went head-to-head against Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
Russell backed his former teammate Hamilton in high regard as a champion. He also shared about the moment they shared on Thursday of Abu Dhabi when the latter was given a formal farewell trackside. He had his official goodbye in Malaysia and also Brixworth and Brackley last weekend.
While talking about role model Hamilton, Russell also welcomed the change at Mercedes. “To be honest, I think just actually seeing first-hand what a role model he is, I think I sort of recognised from Lewis that we’ve all got this platform and we have to use it correctly,” he said to media.
“That’s become even more apparent to me when my young nieces and nephews are watching TikTok and YouTube and Netflix. I spend a bit of time with Toto’s son who also, he and his friend, see Netflix and all of this stuff. How you deal with the victories, how you deal with the losses, you inspire the young kids. Also, when I look back to that photo I had of Lewis and I when I was a kid, I looked up to him.
“The same way all these kids look up to us. I think it has been probably the biggest life lesson that I have learnt from me that sometimes, even if you want to really express something, there’s hundreds of millions of people watching. The way you do it is super important. We had a do on Thursday night all together and looking back through some of his memories.
“I think as painful as these three years have been, seeing all of these memories as well reminds the team that we can do it. We have the same team as was there during Lewis’s glory years. Lewis even said after the debrief in Abu Dhabi, he said, ‘look, let’s stand tall and let’s not forget all these pole positions and wins that we’ve had together’.
“I think it’s been a very nice way to finish this season. It has been a tough three years and I think this change for everyone is really going to spark a lot of motivation for everyone. I think sometimes change is really much needed,” summed up Russell. Mercedes team boss, Wolff, meanwhile, highlighted the significance of the longest running relationship whether professional or personal.
He noted how they will still try as much to maintain that relation over dinner when time permits. “It’s been 12 years, it’s not only the longest driver-team relationship the sport has ever seen but one of the longest relationships any sports team has had with a player,” said Wolff to media.
“And one of the longest relationships personally with a person. Obviously that creates attachment, trust and those values in this day and age are rare. That’s why it’s a period of time we will hold close to our hearts. And one of the best periods that I have personally had and the team. We said we’re going to work hard at maintaining the relationship.
“It is going to be fierce competition on the track, but if the individuals want the relationship to continue beyond competition we will do so. We still play our sports sessions, where we are both so competitive, try to beat each other, ride a bike, have dinner together and do all of those things,” summed up Wolff, who will also cheer Hamilton to secure the eighth F1 title, if Mercedes or its drivers can’t win.
“We will be competitors, [but] I said, if we can’t win, we will cheer for him,” he continued. “He merits an eighth championship but, obviously, the team, the drivers, the brand, that is the main priority to win and we will give it everything we can.”
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