Lewis Hamilton: George Russell rejects Mercedes team-mate’s claims over setup ‘luck’

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Hamilton spoke about Russell’s arrange after the Saudi Arabian GP

George Russell has rejected Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton’s claims that his superior efficiency on the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was based mostly on luck.

Russell comfortably outqualified Hamilton in Jeddah earlier than ending the race the place he began it in fourth, a spot forward of Hamilton who recovered from seventh on the grid.

With the Mercedes pair having chosen various setups going into the weekend, Hamilton stated after the race that “as a rule” Russell’s would have been the “flawed one”, and that consequently he “might solely match his tempo somewhat than be faster”.

“I do not assume there’s any luck in it in any respect,” Russell stated on Thursday forward of this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, when requested to handle Hamilton’s feedback.

“I feel it is all the way down to the preparation you set in earlier than the occasion.

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Hamilton spoke about Russell’s arrange after the Saudi Arabian GP

“The modifications we made in a single day, I knew that was going to be the correct course with the work we did with the group. And I believed it was going to be higher than the setup that Lewis opted for.

“I feel all people’s acquired completely different preferences, I used to be pleased with the course I took and the work I am doing with the engineers.”

Russell impressively outperformed Hamilton in his debut marketing campaign with Mercedes final 12 months, ending 35 factors forward of the seven-time world champion within the drivers’ standings, and likewise claiming the group’s solely win of the season.

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Mercedes driver George Russell’s battle for P3 adopted some confusion round Aston Martin Fernando Alonso’s five-second penalty on the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Hamilton, together with Mercedes group principal Toto Wolff, repeatedly steered all through 2022 that his willingness to experiment with alternate setups on their troublesome W13 automotive was the explanation he misplaced floor to Russell.

Hamilton: Russell did a fantastic job

Talking shortly after Russell in Melbourne on Thursday, Hamilton sought to make clear the feedback he had made in Jeddah.

“I feel folks in all probability, from my selection of phrases on the weekend… I wish to reiterate how nice a job George did on the weekend,” the seven-time world champion stated.

“I feel the factor I used to be commenting on is that there is one particular factor you can change within the suspension that it’s important to do over Friday evening.

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Hamilton says Mercedes are hoping for rain on the Australian Grand Prix to make ‘racing extra thrilling’ and likewise displays on the top of his working relationship with efficiency coach Angela Cullen

“And while you make that change, when you begin P3 (remaining apply), you may’t change it for the remainder of the weekend, so while you make that change, you are principally rolling the cube – typically it really works, typically it would not.

“I’ve executed it previously, typically it hasn’t labored, typically it has, and it labored nice for George and he did a fantastic job.

“And the factor that I used to be missing within the race was a variety of entrance finish, which that setup provides you, so, in hindsight, that may’ve been nice.”

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Sky F1’s Karun Chandhok takes a have a look at the Albert Park Circuit forward of this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix

“We took a number of learnings from it – I feel race tempo was fairly respectable, notably within the second stint.

“And for us to maneuver ahead and get fourth and fifth place was nice factors for the group and a fantastic end result contemplating the place we’re when it comes to efficiency deficit.”

Hamilton goes into Sunday’s race in Melbourne two factors forward of Russell within the 2023 drivers’ standings, with the group centered on making an attempt to shut their deficit to Pink Bull, who’re searching for a 3rd successive one-two to start out the season.

Russell ‘standing his floor’

Sky Sports activities F1’s Craig Slater:

“It is a huge subplot this 12 months as a result of Lewis Hamilton was outscored by George Russell final 12 months, and that has solely occurred twice earlier than in his profession by a team-mate.

“Jenson Button did it as soon as and Nico Rosberg did it in barely fortuitous circumstances the place Lewis had a number of reliability issues.

“However final weekend in qualifying, George Russell outqualified Lewis Hamilton by 4 tenths of a second – that is an enormous hole between team-mates. Possibly it stung Lewis just a little bit.

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Following feedback made by each George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, Craig Slater assesses whether or not there may be any rigidity between the pair.

“However George Russell in the present day is standing his floor, resisting the notion that it was solely the setup.

“And I feel to be truthful to him, he has to say that – he cannot simply admit that if all the things was equal, Lewis Hamilton could be beating him week in, week out.

“He has acquired to say himself with out being disrespectful to Lewis in any manner, which I do not assume that is.”

Chandhok: ‘There is not any such factor pretty much as good luck’

Sky Sports activities F1’s Karun Chandhok:

“I am a agency believer on this sport that there is no such factor pretty much as good luck, there may be solely good preparation – I feel George appeared to be alluding to the very fact.

“You get dangerous luck typically however the actuality is that the groups need to put within the groundwork.

“I feel in Lewis’ case, he by no means acquired to a degree in Jeddah the place he was glad and comfy within the automotive.

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Karun on Hamilton Russell

“He simply by no means discovered that candy spot, which George did, and that will likely be just a little bitt of a priority.

“Australia just isn’t fairly as quick as Saudi Arabia however nonetheless fairly fast.

“Subsequently, the calls for of the automotive usually are not one million miles away from two weeks in the past, so Lewis and his engineers will likely be hoping to right no matter occurred final outing.”

Hamilton: Nothing to say to Masi in Melbourne

Hamilton additionally stated he won’t converse to Michael Masi – the sacked F1 race director accused of costing him a report eighth world championship – as a result of “there may be nothing to say”.

Masi is again at an F1 paddock for the primary time since overseeing the 2021 season decider in Abu Dhabi, which supplied Max Verstappen with the possibility to beat Hamilton in a final-lap shootout and win the title.

Former F1 race director Michael Masi was in attendance on the Australian GP on Thursday

The deeply contentious race value Masi his job as F1 race director. He left the FIA final summer time earlier than shifting house to Australia and being appointed chairman of the V8 Supercars Fee.

Requested if he plans to talk to Masi in Melbourne, and search a proof for what occurred in Abu Dhabi, Hamilton replied: “I do not. I’m simply centered on my future.

“I’m centered on attempting to get again to profitable. There’s nothing to say.”

Hamilton, for whom the Australian GP marks the tenth anniversary of his debut with Mercedes, additionally reiterated his intention to stay with the group, regardless of no obvious progress in talks over the extension of his contract, which expires on the finish of this season.

The 38-year-old has gained six of his seven titles with the Silver Arrows. Nevertheless, he’s going through as much as the prospect of one other difficult 12 months after ending fifth on the opening two rounds in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

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Pink Bull group principal Christian Horner guidelines out a transfer to his group for Lewis Hamilton, saying he cannot see how they’d accommodate the seven-time world champion.

However Hamilton added: “I really feel superb about it [his Mercedes future]. I proceed to really feel very a lot at house.

“It’s my household, and I see myself being with Mercedes till my final days. When you have a look at the legends like Sir Stirling Moss, who was with Mercedes till the top of days, that has been the dream for me, to in the future have that.

“I’ve acquired some superb allies on the group, some nice relationships right here, and so long as I can proceed to assist the group, drive the group ahead and actually contribute then that’s the reason I wish to keep.

“If there may be ever some extent the place I really feel like I’m not ready to do this, it’s time for a teenager to return in and take my seat. However I nonetheless really feel fairly younger and in fairly respectable form.”

Watch the Australian Grand Prix dwell on Sky Sports activities F1 this weekend, with Sunday’s race dwell at 6am. Get Sky Sports