Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are both “alpha” drivers, claims Mercedes boss Toto Wolff

George Russell achieved his first Formula 1 victory at the 2022 F1 Brazilian Grand Prix, with Mercedes securing a one-two finish at Interlagos.

Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, expressed his satisfaction at having two competitive drivers fighting for victories rather than a "puppy" in the team. Calling both the drivers 'alpha', Wolff said:

"They are both alpha drivers and this is good. We don't want a puppy in the car. We manage that as well as we can."

This strong performance by Mercedes in the latter part of the 2022 season has raised hopes that they may be able to challenge Red Bull for the Drivers' and Constructors' championships in 2023.

Despite the win at Interlagos, Russell believes that he still has room for improvement. He stated that he spent the beginning of the 2022 season adjusting to the scale of Mercedes' team and the level at which they operate. The Briton said:

"In some ways I've felt like a bit of a rookie this year because the level at which this team operates on is a level that I've never experienced before, and I'm talking about things that I'd never even heard of in F1 before. That took me some time to learn and understand how to get the most out of the team, out of the car."

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Lewis Hamilton praised George Russell for his impressive debut season

Lewis Hamilton praised George Russell for his impressive debut season with Mercedes. He mentioned how it was "super easy" for him to blend in with the team, as he had already been a part of the Mercedes setup for a number of years. Hamilton said:

"I think naturally you have to say it's impressive what he's done this year, the consistency he's had, how he's arrived and just hit the ground running.

"It's not like he arrived in a completely brand new team. The previous couple of years he was sitting right behind me watching the work that I was doing with the engineers, with Ricky (who), who is now his number one."

Hamilton also mentioned that Russell's familiarity with the team may have contributed to his successful integration. He had already participated in test days and used Hamilton's steering wheel.

Overall, Hamilton believes that Russell has been a positive influence on the team, helping to maintain a strong working relationship and keeping the team's equilibrium.

George Russell will look to challenge for the title in 2023 and break Red Bull's dominance in the new era of F1.