Toto Wolff ‘didn’t like’ what Lewis Hamilton did to George Russell in one Mercedes battle last season

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Lewis Hamilton and George Russell will be teammates for just three more races. Hamilton is leaving to join Ferrari, with Russell likely stepping up to a team leader role.

Their relationship has almost always appeared amicable since Russell’s arrival in 2022. Hamilton was unhappy that Toto Wolff replaced Valtteri Bottas, Peter Windsor says, but there hasn’t been any evident animosity.

That’s despite the fact the two drivers have been closely matched on track. Bottas realised he couldn’t beat Hamilton, but Russell immediately outscored him in 2022.

Hamilton struck back in 2023, and now they’re virtually level in the ‘deciding’ season. Russell’s fourth place in Brazil – a miserable weekend for his teammate – moved him ahead in the standings by a margin of just two points.

Hamilton hit Russell in Qatar last year, taking himself out of the race and denying the team a potential shot at victory. But he quickly sought out the 26-year-old to apologise.

They also came together during qualifying for the Spanish GP, but that was simply a moment of clumsiness. Russell idolised Hamilton as he ascended the motorsport ladder and has earned the seven-time world champion’s respect.

Toto Wolff was unhappy with Lewis Hamilton pushing George Russell wide at Suzuka

In Matt Whyman’s new book, Inside Mercedes F1: Life in the Fast Lane’, it’s revealed that Wolff ‘didn’t like’ how Hamilton raced Russell at the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix. He was ‘unhappy’ that they hadn’t put the team’s interests first.

On lap 16 of the race, Hamilton ran wide at the second degner, allowing Russell to close up. The Mercedes academy graduate tried to pass round the outside at the Spoon curve but he was edged off the track.

Hamilton would eventually finish fifth, with Russell seventh. Constructors’ championship rivals Ferrari came home fourth and sixth to gain valuable points.

“Racing each other like we did – in the beginning pushing the other guy wide – sets the tone for the rest of the race,” Wolff said ahead of the post-race briefing. “I didn’t like it.”

Lewis Hamilton shows his true colours before Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes move

Whyman was ‘struck’ by ‘how readily’ both Hamilton and Russell ‘stepped up to take responsibility’. It was a sign that they were ‘genuinely respectful of one another’ as they co-operated to improve the car.

While Hamilton may have been overly aggressive in this instance, his teamwork shouldn’t be in question. Indeed, he’s even been working with his chosen replacement Kimi Antonelli behind the scenes.

Antonelli says Hamilton has helped him understand the motivation for certain strategic decisions over the course of a race weekend. He’ll benefit from watching him up close.

Hamilton may partly see himself in the youngster. He too arrived in F1 amid plenty of hype, having won the GP2 title, and went straight to a frontrunning team in McLaren.