Mercedes driver George Russell jokingly mocks teammate Lewis Hamilton’s “relaxation method”

Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and George Russell engaged in playful banter ahead of F1's return from its summer break for the Dutch GP, scheduled for August 23-25.

Hamilton and Russell have landed in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and attended an event organized by sponsor Tommy Hilfiger. During the event, the veteran Mercedes driver revealed how he's always singing in the motorhome.

During the discussion, George Russell jokingly suggested that Lewis Hamilton's relaxation method could be a distraction tool, as he can constantly hear the music from Hamilton's side. However, he ultimately admitted that it was relaxing.

"But I'm always singing..." Hamilton said, before Russell interjected,"I don't know if that's your relaxation method or distraction method for me... I'm just listening and relaxed."

Lewis Hamilton mentioned that it could have been much worse, recalling how his former McLaren teammate from Finland, Heikki Kovalainen, used to blast heavy metal music on race weekends. Hamilton vividly remembers thinking his head would explode from the intense music.

"It could be way worse, when I was with Heikki, he was playing like heavy metal stuff. I was like, 'Oh my God, my head is going to explode.'"

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are heading into the second half of the season with momentum on their side having won three of the last four races. Heading into the Dutch GP at Zandvoort, both drivers are expected to be in contention at the front, given how closely matched the front runners are.

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Lewis Hamilton reflects on his time with George Russell at Mercedes

George Russell joined forces with Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes in 2022 and has since made headlines with his impressive performances. While both drivers have been closely matched during their time together, Hamilton endured a 945-day winless streak, which ended with his victory at Silverstone earlier this season.

In a recent interview with Esquire, the seven-time champion revealed that the past few years have been a "battle of the mind," and his relentless persistence and hard work are finally paying off. Working with Russell has also helped him become a better teammate and improved his communication.

"I think I learned that life is really about how much pain you can experience and keep going, and how much you can suffer and keep moving forward, you know? And that’s life, right? It’s not how you fall; it’s how you get up. It’s how you continue to apply yourself every single day. It’s how you connect with people that you work with. I probably learned to be a better teammate in this period of time, because we’ve had more time to focus on communication." Hamilton said.

Heading into the final 10 races with Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton occupies sixth place in the F1 drivers' standings, two spots ahead of teammate George Russell.