© Jiri Krenek for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
George Russell says he is in “a win-win scenario”, because he is “going up against the greatest of all time who has beaten everybody”.
George Russell is now in his first season with Mercedes and with Lewis Hamilton as his team-mate. However, the Briton doesn’t think he has to worry about becoming Hamilton’s ‘wingman’.
“If I perform, I will not ever be in that position,” Russell told PA Sport.
“I would be disappointed if I found myself in that scenario because it means I have not done the job.
“And if anybody finds themselves in that position, they cannot be upset or disappointed with anyone else because they are there for one reason, and that is because they have not performed.”
He also doesn’t think there will ever be any problems between him and Hamilton, as there were between Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
“I don’t think it will become like that, regardless of performance. We are different stages in our career and Lewis has nothing to prove.
If you like SilverArrows.Net, consider supporting us by buying us a coffee!
“He truly wants to see me succeed and to help me.”
Ultimately, George loves the fact that he has an opportunity to learn from “the greatest of all time”.
“It is incredibly exciting and I find myself in a win-win scenario. I am going up against the greatest of all time who has beaten everybody and I can only learn from him.
“Equally it can only be beneficial in the long run but the short-term, too. Now is the best time to have this opportunity because we are starting afresh with new cars.
“I would have loved to have had the chance last year but I know if somebody joined me at Williams they would have struggled because I knew the car and how to get the most out of the tyres.
“I was ingrained in that team, that car, and that philosophy as Lewis has been so ingrained in this team.
“Last year was a constant evolution but now is a complete fresh start and a good opportunity,” Russell concluded.
