{"id":17838,"date":"2022-11-12T10:59:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-12T10:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/?p=17838"},"modified":"2022-11-12T08:14:31","modified_gmt":"2022-11-12T08:14:31","slug":"lewis-would-be-that-man-george-russell-told-to-up-his-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/lewis-would-be-that-man-george-russell-told-to-up-his-game\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Lewis would be that man’: George Russell told to up his game"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Whilst Mercedes have fallen short of claiming either the Drivers’ or Constructors’ Championship, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton are still battling away to claim the honour of top Silver Arrow in the standings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After 20 races, Russell currently leads Hamilton by 15 points, ahead of the penultimate round of the championship this weekend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whilst it’s a difficult gap to overhaul considering that the Germans aren’t claiming victories, Hamilton has been rapidly reducing the gap at recent rounds having been the dominant Mercedes in the second half of the season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russell undoubtedly performed better in the first half of the season when the car was at its weakest; however, since the porpoising issue has been ironed out, Hamilton has reigned supreme in the German garage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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READ: \u2018I haven\u2019t forgotten\u2019: McLaren boss sends FIA demand as teams disagree<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite his strong form, ex-F1 driver Jolyon Palmer thinks Russell will just about “close it out”, but that the seven-time World Champion is certainly “on top”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI imagine George will close it out, just by sheer numbers,\u201d he said of the points gap on the F1 Nation podcast. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s only two races left and if he just manages to keep this consistency, he\u2019ll be there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut I think that doesn\u2019t really tell the picture of the Mercedes story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think George has been impressive, if he beats Lewis it will be an amazing achievement, but I do think the more the season\u2019s gone on, the more Lewis looks like Lewis again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt the start of the year, there was a really odd moment where everyone was a bit perplexed [thinking] \u2018is George Russell, gonna outdo Lewis Hamilton?\u2019 and for the first six, seven races, it was looking that way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs the season\u2019s gone on, I think Lewis has got on top and I think if they do have a title-challenging car next year, I still think it\u2019d be Lewis that would be that man.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Palmer added on his point that he thinks the 37-year-old would “be that man” to claim a title for Mercedes, based on the fact that when the W13 has been strong this season, Hamilton has been the one challenging for victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo when the when the Mercedes car seems a bit absent through a weekend, it\u2019s very close between the two, often George can be ahead,” Palmer explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“That\u2019s certainly how it was at the start of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut every single time we\u2019re looking at maybe Mercedes can win this race, as the race is unfolding, it\u2019s only Lewis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s maybe just a little bit of experience still for George when the car\u2019s at it\u2019s best to maximise it. I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll improve as well next year but that\u2019s where I still think you\u2019ve got Hamilton ahead, even if the points don\u2019t show it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1996 F1 World Champion Damon Hill spoke in a similar vein to Palmer, with the Brit believing that Hamilton is certainly stronger in the “race itself” but that Russell is better over one lap. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hill elaborated on the “incredible first season” Russell has had in the same team as the 103-time GP winner; however, he does think it would be different if it weren’t for Hamilton’s poor start to the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen it comes to the race itself, Lewis is nearly always a faster driver over the distance,” Hill said on the podcast. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Aston Martin boss rejects Sebastian Vettel claim https:\/\/t.co\/ZLgfjdgZKR<\/a><\/p>— Formula1News.co.uk (@Formula1newsUK) November 10, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>