Reigning Formula1 champion Lewis Hamilton has reacted to George Russell joining the Mercedes as his new teammate starting from the 2022 season. This comes following the announcement that Valtteri Bottas will be leaving Mercedes to join Alfa Romeo racing next season.
The former Williams Racing driver, George Russell was unveiled on Tuesday 7th September 2021, by Mercedes, and one man who is happy to have a new teammate for next season, Lewis Hamilton has reacted to the news.
The British driver taking to his social media page on Tuesday, posted photos of George Russell and himself, first as a kid and also a driver in Formula1, with a caption that reads:
“I want to take a moment to welcome @georgerussell63 to the team. I remember meeting him when he was young, dreaming of one day being a Formula 1 driver. I’d only just reached my own dream of becoming an F1 driver, so I know what this day means and how it will feel for him.
He is a great example to all the kids out there that dreams do come true when you chase them wholeheartedly. Through hard work he has rightly earned his spot on our team. I look forward to seeing him grow as a driver with this great team and working with him to raise @mercedesamgf1 higher. See you next year,” he said.
George Russell Reaction To Joining Mercedes:
George Russell who is more than delighted to be joining not just Mercedes, but Lewis Hamilton, expressed his readiness for the new challenge, while thanking Williams and Mercedes for the opportunity. He said:
“It’s official. Next year, I’ll be a Mercedes F1 driver. This is a special day for me personally and professionally, but also a day of mixed emotions. I’m excited and humbled to be joining Mercedes next year, which is a huge career step, but it also means I’ll be saying goodbye to my team-mates and friends at Williams. It has been an honour working alongside every member of the team, and an honour to represent the Williams name in F1.
Since I joined in 2019, we have worked tirelessly to push each other forward and bring the team back up the grid where it belongs. We’ve battled for every qualifying position, every point, and every tenth of a second. No matter how tough it’s been, nobody has ever given up, and that has inspired me every day. I’ve loved every moment in what I’d describe as a true heart and soul racing team, and I’ll be pushing harder than ever to make sure we end our story in the best possible way. Looking ahead to next season, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t absolutely buzzing. It’s a huge opportunity and one I want to grab with both hands. But I’m under no illusions as to the scale of the challenge; it’s going to be a steep learning curve. Valtteri has set a high bar, consistently delivering week in and week out, scoring wins, pole positions and helping win multiple championship titles. My target must be to reward the trust that Toto, the team, and the board have placed in me by ensuring I play my part in continuing that success and I want to do my new team-mates proud. Of course, one of those new team-mates is in my opinion the greatest driver of all time.
I’ve looked up to Lewis since I was in go-karts and the opportunity to learn from someone who has become a role model both on and off track can only benefit me as a driver, a professional, and a human being.
For now, though, I have nine more races as a Williams driver, and I want to make sure they are the best nine of my time with the team. Then, and only then, can I turn my attention to 2022. A huge thank you to Williams, to Mercedes and to everyone who has supported me in getting to where I am today. I couldn’t have done it without every single one of you,” he added.