Russell on his future Mercedes teammate: “Seeing the drivers' names appear on Toto's phone was quite funny”

There are people, a lot of people, in the list of contenders for the second seat Mercedes in 2025. The recorded transfer of Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari next season has opened a door that many drivers hope to pass through to land within the German team.

Since February 1 and the shock announcement of the departure of the seven-time world champion, many names (and much speculation) have circulated to replace the Briton with the Silver Arrows. A situation which does not disturb George Russell. The Englishman, whose contract with Mercedes runs until the end of 2025, is not concerned about the identity of his future teammate.

“The next few months will be interesting, pointed out George Russell, but for my part, I've been teammates with arguably the greatest driver of all time for the past two years, and I don't care at all who will line up alongside me. I want to be matched against the best and that's what's happened over the last two years. It doesn't matter whether it's an experienced pilot or a young pilot. I think that personally, I am well positioned to help the team move forward to begin this new chapter. »

Russell wants " a good harmony » with his future teammate

Si Toto Wolff has already “knighted” George Russell as the future leader of the Mercedes team, the British driver knows that he could face a teammate of the same caliber. When asked how much say he will have in the choice of driver, Russell replied: “I think for any team it's important to have good harmony between the drivers, because that trickles down to all the engineers and the whole team, but ultimately the decision comes down to Toto [Wolff] and to the board of directors. »

The Briton even laughs at the situation Mercedes finds itself in on the transfer market. The German team is at the center of discussions and desires, a phenomenon that George Russell was able to see in terms of relations with the other drivers on the grid.

“We've had a lot of conversations already and I've been with Toto [Wolff] a lot this winter, so seeing the drivers' names pop up on his phone has been pretty fun and even on my phone I've gotten a few calls and texting, confided the Englishman. It was quite interesting, but as a team we have a very good opportunity and a good position to enter this new chapter, [after] so much success between Lewis and Mercedes. »

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