George Russell risks Lewis Hamilton in a daring Mercedes Formula One forecast
Max Verstappen and Red Bull are Lewis Hamilton’s main obstacles in F1 at the moment, but Jonny Herbert believes there is another problem closer to home.
Lewis Hamilton will have a lot to overcome – not least Max Verstappen – if he is to claim his eighth Formula 1 title.
Now Red Bull dominates the sport. And Verstappen broke several single-season records on his way to his third straight title this year. This is his easiest championship success to date.
Mercedes couldn’t compete on the track, so Hamilton dropped out. But even if his team provides the car they need for the next two years, Johnny Herbert believes the seven-time champion still has hurdles to overcome.
Team-mate George Russell could play, according to a former Sky Sports F1 pundit. The young Briton struggled in his second season at Mercedes but beat Hamilton in their first year together.
Herbert warned Hamilton that Russell’s appearance could end his hopes of regaining his F1 positions. “I think there are enough smart people at Mercedes who can build a car that can win races and world championships,” he told Genting Casino.
“Maybe it’s George who makes things difficult when he gets these materials. I think George is the man for the job. I think it can work because George can lead the team.
“He has enough willpower and mental capacity to win the race and absorb all the pressure of the World Cup. So I think he might finish 8th, but he still has momentum. That’s for sure, Louis.”
The reality is that Mercedes will not be able to challenge Verstappen and Red Bull unless they make significant progress in the automotive industry. Hamilton is not certain he will have a title in 2024, but he is confident his team is at least heading in the right direction. He said: “We didn’t necessarily have a pole star at the start of the year because we knew exactly what we had to work towards. It was a zig-zag line trying to get us where we needed to go. I have. Sometimes something good happens and you think, “Yeah, this is it.” Then they move, so it’s normal for the goalposts to move all the time.
“I think we have a pole star now and I don’t think I’ve seen it in two years. We’re taking a completely different path, but I think we understand cars better now. On the backend, we have developed some great tools. Of course yes. “But I can’t breathe.”
