"He will push Hamilton" - F1 pundit on George Russell-Lewis Hamilton dynamic

Sky Sports TV presenter Ted Kravitz reckons George Russell will push Lewis Hamilton as a team-mate. Predicting the team dynamics expected at Mercedes, he believes there will be a cordial relationship between the two British drivers.

Describing the expectations from the Mercedes duo, Kravitz said:

“He will push Hamilton but when he’s told to by the team, he will also submit as a second driver. I think the dynamic is absolutely fine. Yes, Lewis would have preferred Valtteri Bottas to stay because they had an established relationship with good respect, and Lewis didn’t have to worry about the other driver being quicker than him too often.”

The Sky Sports TV presenter does not feel there will be any animosity or feisty competition between the two. Instead, he feels the British world champion will have a respectful relationship with his new team-mate, despite his personal preference being Valtteri Bottas.

Explaining what the team dynamic would be with Russell involved, the 47-year-old said:

“That might not be the case with Russell, but Mercedes will make sure nothing gets in the way of Lewis going for the championship if he is way ahead.”

The Sky Sports presenter explained that with Bottas, the Mercedes champion did not have to worry about his team-mate being quicker or competing within the team. With Russell, however, the dynamic could change unless Lewis Hamilton has a significant advantage in the championship and he needs a wingman.

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Mercedes downplays favoritism towards Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has claimed that they have never had a lead driver or a wingman situation in their team. Despite Valtteri Bottas becoming a sacrificial lamb in their strategy several times in the past few years, Wolff suggests there has never been a hierarchy in their driver line-up or special preference given to any driver.

Commenting on Mercedes’ current driver pairing on Sky Sports after the test in Barcelona, Wolff said:

“We never had a situation where [it was] one and two; they had equal opportunities and the same car. This year, the interesting situation is we have in George the up-and-coming star [in one seat], and undoubtedly the best Formula 1 driver ever in the other seat.”

Wolff’s words are a bit contradictory to the events that unfolded in the 2021 championship, where Bottas was often a casualty of a strategy used to help Lewis Hamilton. While the Finn had inconsistent performances and could rarely match the British champion, Russell’s arrival to the team has changed the dynamics and the team's strategy. Mercedes will either be forced to give both equal preference, or will have to declare an order in the line-up midway through the 2022 season.