George Russell despatched Mercedes sack warning as Lewis Hamilton slams the “unacceptable”
Ex-F1 team boss Guenther Steiner has dropped a bombshell, suggesting that George Russell’s seat at Mercedes might not be as secure as many think, while Lewis Hamilton can afford to be critical due to his confirmed move to Ferrari.
Hamilton set the F1 world abuzz in February with the announcement that he’ll switch to Ferrari after this year. The seven-time champ has been increasingly outspoken about his struggles with the Mercedes W15 car throughout the 2024 season.
His frustrations were laid bare at the Brazilian Grand Prix, where he slammed the car as the “worst” he’s ever driven, likening it to a “plank of wood”. Despite a dismal Q1 exit, Hamilton clawed back to snatch a point on race day, yet branded the weekend a “disaster” and blasted the car’s performance as “unacceptable”.
Hamilton vented: “It is devastating to have these bad races in the second half of the season. But all I can say is that we’re trying coming into the weekends, but it is definitely not acceptable, it is definitely not good enough.”
Steiner, who used to run the Haas team, believes Hamilton’s candour stems from having no worries about his Mercedes spot, thanks to his deal with Ferrari. However, he warns that Russell doesn’t have the same security and must demonstrate his capability to lead Mercedes in the future, reports the Mirror.
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Russell remains with Mercedes for the next season, continuing from 2022, though his contract is up at the end of 2025. Steiner boldly declared on the Red Flag podcast: “The car is what it is. It’s not the best car, it’s the fourth best car at the moment on a good day. I think Lewis knowing that he’s leaving anyway, it’s easier to complain.
“George has got all the interest to do whatever is there to show that he’s the leader of the team for the future. He has to prove that, because he knows when his Mercedes contract is up, his seat is not 100% safe, so he just tries to do his best, puts everything into it. And on the other side, Lewis doesn’t like the car and how it drives, knows that now in three races he’s not there anymore.”
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Ex-Mercedes ace and world champ Nico Rosberg echoed Steiner’s sentiments, having previously cautioned Russell in September that his position was “not safe at all”. The rumour mill continues to churn as rookie Kimi Antonelli is set to join Russell next year, whilst buzz around Mercedes honcho Toto Wolff’s intrigue in current frontrunner Max Verstappen, already three times winner with Red Bull, persists, casting further doubts over Russell’s tenure.
Despite the paddock whispers, Russell boasts an impressive run this season with one official victory, two pole positions, and two fastest laps, placing him sixth in the driver standings. This 26 year old claims to be unfazed by the rumours and has hinted at some sort of understanding with his bosses.
“It’s something we’ve not spoken about at all to be honest,” he shared with journalists earlier this year. “I’ve been with this team for so so long, I’m managed by Mercedes, and we’ve always said we will be continuing together for the indefinite future. There’s a lot of conversations going on which are quite entertaining to read, but from my side, I’m not focused on any of that. I’m just focused on my driving.”
