P1racenews AI automatic summary:
George Russell says he’s not “satisfied” being on level terms with seven-time world champion F1 teammate Lewis Hamilton.
During the 2022 season, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton were closely matched in terms of raw pace, especially during qualifying. However, Russell struggled in races, often either falling behind Hamilton or making costly mistakes that ended his races prematurely, such as in Canada and Singapore. As a result, Hamilton finished third in the drivers’ championship, while Russell had to settle for eighth place, which was a disappointment for him.
Reflecting on the season, Russell acknowledged that it was the toughest one he has experienced psychologically. He faced challenges in bouncing back from missed opportunities, results, and mistakes. He believes that this is when he truly pushes himself and realizes that he might not have been pushed as much in his previous championship years.
Although Russell was able to finish ahead of Hamilton in his first year as a Mercedes driver in 2022, he is not satisfied with just being on par with his teammate. He wants to be ahead and is intentionally pushing himself further and beyond what he has achieved so far.
