After qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton, half dejected and cryptic, had hinted that on the push lap he would suffer all year against George Russell. Indeed, the comparison appears merciless given that, after eight races, we are talking about a resounding 7-1 in favor of the young teammate (here the situation team by team).
The bare numbers speak clearly and would provide an obvious answer to the question posed in the title of this writing. But we at Formulacritica we love to go beyond the surface of the water and go deeper into the phenomena. It is our nature as eternal dissatisfied with elementary narratives that lead to superficiality.
Mitigating factors. Lewis has many. First of all, it should be noted that, after Oscar Piastri, Hamilton is the driver with the smallest average gap from his teammate. But, despite this, it reverberates in a resounding 7-1. And that still means something. Compared to the previous two seasons, Russell made a real push in qualifying. In 2022-2023 the balance reigned, today the balance definitely tips on the King's Lynn driver's plate.
![Mercedes W13](https://www.formulacritica.it/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Mercedes-W13-jpg.webp)
Lewis Hamilton suffers from “next gen” Mercedes
The characteristics of the car also weigh in on the serious liability. Hamilton has always preferred cars that are strong in braking and have a very solid front to "launch" decisively into corners. All the Mercedes produced from 2022 to today have not had their strongest aspects in braking and in the ability to easily reach the apex points.
Russell certainly adapted better to the material offered by engineering staff who were rather confused about the guidelines to follow. Does this count as a mitigating factor? Of course, but Lewis also has a lot of experience and perhaps a greater ability to read the new generation single-seaters was expected.
It should also be noted that, especially in 2022, the seven-time world champion has often been used as a sort of technical guinea pig to get the W13 out of the enormous difficulties it was experiencing in the initial phase of the season. Precisely his great experience was the factor that "condemned" him to succumb in the first year of internal confrontation with Russell.
In 2023, when the team did not require any particular sacrifices from Lewis, he emerged by beating his team colleague quite clearly. Today, Mercedes is once again experiencing an unbalanced operational situation. And this time the "fault" lies with Hamilton who decided to marry Ferrari.
The more time passes, the less involved the multiple champion will be in the technical meetings and in the development of the car which will increasingly go in Russell's direction. Perhaps Hamilton was alluding to this circumstance when he spoke of the impossibility of getting the better of his rival-mate in the remaining part of the current world championship.
![F1 Chinese GP duels](https://www.formulacritica.it/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Lewis-Hamilton-e-George-Russell-jpg.webp)
Hamilton – Russell: does the age difference matter?
There are therefore many dynamics that can explain the difference we are witnessing. Age must also be considered among these. George Russell is a very tough nut to crack who is on his way to professional growth while Lewis has been at the peak of his maturation for some time now.
It is unlikely that the former McLaren can improve. It is more likely that he will be able to remain constant in his performance and then begin the declining phase which is not guaranteed to have arrived. George, on the other hand, still has room for growth and this can be seen especially in the race, a moment in which he has not yet expressed the potential that Hamilton is capable of achieving.
So, what is the answer to the initial question? In reality there isn't because there are too many variables that make solving the puzzle almost impossible. What Lewis said is probably true: from now until the end of the year it will be increasingly difficult to get the better of Russell.
Hamilton – Russell: psychological imbalance
In Monaco, for example, we saw that the updates were reserved only for the former Williams. A small advantage that can also have a psychological impact. Hamilton perceives that the team is no longer focusing on him and this generates a normal lack of stimulus which, combined with the inability of the W15 to produce performances up to the ambitions of those who would like to fight for the eighth laurel crown, depresses every impulse to do well.
Lewis may not have lost the luster of his best times, but he has certainly lost the comfortable environment in which he could express his full potential. And this happened exactly on February 1, 2024, when he ratified his farewell to Mercedes and the move to Ferrari.
Crediti foto: Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team