"It’s good that Lewis Hamilton’s leaving now rather in 2021": George Russell believes 7x F1 champion’s exit would 'ignite a new spark' at Mercedes

George Russell talked about the positive changes that Mercedes might experience after Lewis Hamilton leaves the team at the end of this season, saying that "change ignites a new spark." The seven-time world champion is set to join Ferrari in 2025.

Hamilton's exit from Mercedes at the end of the 2024 F1 season has by far been one of the biggest and most shocking news this season. In over a decade that he spent with the team, he set massive records, won six world championships, and was a major reason for the team's eight championships. While he became pretty much the face of Mercedes, he decided to leave at the end of this season.

His teammate George Russell, who has shared experience with him since the 2022 season, feels that this could be a positive turn for the team. He stated that Lewis Hamilton leaving the team in the current condition is better than leaving earlier because it would have been much more difficult.

"Change often ignites a new spark for everyone," Russell said via DailyMail.

"It is good that Lewis Hamilton is leaving us now, rather in 2021, when it would have been difficult for the whole team."

One of the most speculated reasons for his decision to leave the team at the end of this season has been Mercedes' performance. They did not adapt well to the new aerodynamic regulations introduced in 2022 and have not been able to develop a race-winning car. Hamilton's latest F1 victory dates back to Saudi Arabia in 2021, meanwhile, the team hasn't won a race since 2022 in Brazil.

Ferrari, in the meantime, has turned out to be quite the competition. They were the only team other than Red Bull to have won a race last season and have already been on the top step of the podium twice this season.

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Can Lewis Hamilton 'hammer' one final time with Mercedes before the end of the season?

Although he was on the podium multiple times in 2023, Lewis Hamilton seems far off from the top three under the current pace of the W15. The team stands in fourth place, with an 88-point gap from McLaren in third, quite unusual for the Brackley-based outfit. Even during the 2022 season, when they were uncompetitive with the top, they managed to remain within the top three.

However, it seems that their rivals have developed quite a bit at this point. What Mercedes requires right now is a major upgrade package. While they did run new wings in Monaco, it is hard to say if they have a victory in their hands anytime soon. ]

Team principal Toto Wolff recently talked about the new upgrades that the team is planning on.

"[The next race] in Montreal is a little bit of an outlier of a track, but we're going to add something there, and we're going to add something for Barcelona - to just try to chip away, bearing in mind there could be also setbacks," Motorsport.com quoted him.

The "setbacks" are the last thing that Mercedes needs. Before the start of the season, Lewis Hamilton mentioned that he would like to end the journey with the team on a high, however, it is tough to expect the team to get close to winning, under the current circumstances, at least.