2022 has been a difficult year for lewis hamilton. After losing the 2021 World Cup in the last round, the seven-time world champion saw his Mercedes it went from being the first car on the grid to third, considerably reducing its chances of victory (in fact, it has not achieved pole position or victory, an unprecedented event to date).
As if that were not enough, in addition to the ‘slump’ of the star’s brand, the Briton has had to deal with the irruption of George Russell in his debut with the German brand, which has ended up beating Lewis in his personal duel.
Looking ahead to 2023, with the foreseeable evolution of Mercedes, there could be an internal war between the two drivers… and the team is aware of this.
Speaking to ‘Auto Motor und Sport’, Toto Wolff He knows that preventing this confrontation is in his power: “We have to accept that there may be a rivalry between our drivers, but it should never degrade into a conflict that could harm the team, i will never allow thatI’ve never allowed it before either.”
“The good dynamic between the drivers also depends on how the team manages them and the limits they put“added the team leader.
Of course, Wolff always pulls more towards the side of the seven-time champion: “Lewis is the greatest driver of all time alongside Michael Schumacher in his days with Ferrari. He has gone from being in a perfect car to having the W13 and has had to adapt a lot. We’ve had races where Lewis has been stronger and others where George has been stronger.”
That is why, despite the fact that Russell finished ahead of Hamilton, the Mercedes boss insists on helping the team.
“It was not about who scored more points and defeated the other. The most important thing was to develop the car together so that we could win again. The two have great respect for each other and both acknowledge their partner’s good work. I think that we are in a good position due to the fact that the two receive a lot between them,” he concluded.
