The British pair were team-mates for the first time in 2022, with Russell getting a shot at Mercedes after three years with Williams.
It was perhaps not the season that they would have hoped for, though, with the W13 proving a bit of a problem child and a team-dubbed ‘diva’ over the course of the campaign.
Indeed, just the one win was recorded by the team – at the penultimate round in Brazil – and overall it was a season where they saw Red Bull and Ferrari prove too quick to catch.
That all said, Russell and Hamilton worked hard to try and help Mercedes get back towards the front of the field, with things improving over the course of the season and, indeed, Russell impressed with how quickly he adapted to his new surroundings and started putting in consistent performances.
He looks every bit the driver that Mercedes hoped for, and alongside Lewis Hamilton he arguably forms the best driver pairing in the championship for 2023.
If the W14 is quick enough, then, expect a title challenge from the Silver Arrows – which would certainly be interesting if both drivers are in the fight.
The two seem to have a positive dynamic, though, with Russell having this to say in an end of season interview with the official Mercedes website:
“The relationship has been harmonious.
“What impressed me the most with Lewis is seeing how he works with the team, how he gets the most out of the people around him, how he continues to keep morale high when moments are tough and ultimately what I already knew is how damn fast he is and how much of a challenge it is being teammates with a guy like him.”
For the first time in his F1 career, Hamilton went a season without winning a Grand Prix in 2022, and he’ll be keener than most to be back fighting for victories in 2023.
You can bet, though, that if he is up there then George will also be a big factor, as he has shown he’s good enough to be in the fight at the front.
