Sky F1 pundits agree on Lewis Hamilton after being upstaged by George Russell

04 September 2023 , 05:00

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Sky F1 pundits agree on Lewis Hamilton after being upstaged by George Russell

Naomi Schiff and Martin Brundle agreed as they theorised why Lewis Hamilton was beaten by George Russell in their first season as team-mates.

Russell joined Mercedes at the start of last season, his arrival coinciding with the team's dip in fortunes. While the Silver Arrows were not in the title fight due to their car's lack of competitiveness, the signing from Williams at least managed to impress with his consistency throughout the season.

He beat Hamilton by 35 points in the end – an eye-catching number for the seven-time world champion to lose by. So far in 2023, though, he has got the better of that intra-team battle with his fellow Brit.

Hamilton is 55 points clear of Russell, the gap narrowing slightly as the latter finished one place ahead in Sunday's Italian Grand Prix. Before that race, Sky Sports pundits Schiff and Brundle were discussing their records against one another after news that both had signed new contracts until the end of 2025.

Brundle voiced his belief that Hamilton was hampered in the 2022 season because he was still mentally processing his title loss the year before. "It took Lewis over a year to get over Abu Dhabi 2021," he asserted.

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"Also, things just weren't falling for him particularly well. I think George has been through a difficult time where it hasn't paid off for him, as such. But you have to say, at the moment, Lewis has the upper hand in that duo in terms of the results and the speed that he's showing. But they are so close, those two."

Schiff agreed with her colleague and said she felt Hamilton needed that season to fully reset before he could start showing the best of what he can do again. "No driver likes to be beaten by their team-mate. But last year, I don't think that was on the top of Lewis' mind," she added.

"They both came into that season psychologically in very different places. Lewis coming from Abu Dhabi 2021 and George just coming out of the Williams into the big team. Totally different emotions and coming into a difficult car. As well, to not be able to get that title back. It was difficult for Lewis last year, but he's back."

Russell finished fourth at Monza with Hamilton one place behind. It meant Mercedes extended the gap to Aston Martin who started the weekend third behind them in the constructors' standings, but Ferrari have now leapfrogged the Silverstone-based team after finishing third and fourth at the Italians' home race.

Daniel Moxon