Formula 1 News: George Russell to be Mercedes #1 driver in 2024

Now that Lewis Hamilton has decided to leave Mercedes after 2024, he will no longer be Mercedes’ #1 driver as George Russell will take over that role.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Any meetings or design decisions on the 2025 will exclude Hamilton for fear he will bring the latest Mercedes secrets to Ferrari.

Any simulator testing of the 2025 car will certainly exclude Hamilton.

Upgrades brought during the 2024 season will likely be tried by Russell first.

If it comes to scoring points toward the championship, or pit stop strategy, Russell will almost certainly be favored and Hamilton asked to move aside.

Put Hamilton on Gardening Leave Immediately

Given the risk of giving away Mercedes secrets to Ferrari, Mercedes should send Hamilton out on Gardening Leave immediately and pay his 2024 salary.

They could put reserve driver Mick Schumacher in the seat, and given his prior experience driving in F1, he would be ready to go assuming he did preseason testing and not Hamilton.

Toto on George Russell

“With the Lewis discussion, something that has not been talked about enough is that George has the potential to be next lead driver in the team and is of the generation of Lando [Norris] and Charles [Leclerc],” Mercedes Team boss Toto Wolff said.

“In George Russell I couldn’t wish for a [better] new team leader when Lewis leaves, there is no doubt about that.

“George has such a solid foundation, is such a quick, talented and intelligent guy in the car that we just need to take the right choice for the second seat.

“It is not something that I want to be rushed into. A few contracts have been signed in the last few weeks that we would have looked at, that would have been interesting, but the timing beat us a bit.

“I always like change because change provides you with an opportunity, and in the same way we embraced the Nico [Rosberg] situation, and that was equally unexpected, I am looking forward to taking the right decisions for the team, together with my colleagues for who is going to be in the seat next year.

“Maybe there is a chance to do something bold.

“George in that seat has been great for the team, going toe-to-toe with Lewis in the past two seasons, there was nothing between them.

“Knowing that we have a driver on that level makes the decision for the second seat much more comfortable.

“I have not yet properly reflected with the team on if we want to go for a rookie driver or an experienced one because I don’t know yet what is best for the team going forward.

“If you had told me two days ago that Lewis was going to Ferrari, I didn’t think it was possible, so situations and things can change quickly. Contracts are only as good as the driver or teas want them to be.”

Will Andrea Kimi Antonelli be ready?

One name tentatively linked to race alongside George Russell for 2025 is 17-year-old Mercedes Academy driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli, but he may be too young.

Antonelli – who was born in 2006 – has not even made his Formula 2 debut, which he will do in the coming campaign with the Prema Racing squad that has taken Charles Leclerc, Mick Schumacher and Oscar Piastri to the F2 title in recent years.

“Kimi has been with Mercedes since he was 11, and his junior career was very successful,” said Wolff of the driver who has collected Italian F4, ADAC F4, and Formula Regional Middle East and Europe (FRECA) titles.

“I think it is most important at this stage that he concentrates on F2, and if we start to spin his mind or unleash rumors in the media on him, that is not going to help his F2 campaign.

“He just stepped out of karts a few years ago, and he is not even 18, so I would rather not start any speculation about Kimi going into Formula 1 at this stage.”

Same situation for Carlos Sainz Jr.

Similar to the Hamilton situation at Mercedes, Carlos Sainz Jr. will be excluded from all meetings at Ferrari regarding their 2025 car for fear he will take the latest Ferrari design secrets to a rival.

Charles Leclerc will most certainly be the Ferrari #1 driver in 2024 and when it comes to pit stop strategy and scoring points, Sainz Jr. will always be asked to move aside.