Lewis Hamilton (L) of Great Britain and Mercedes and George Russell of Great Britain and Mercedes talk to the crowd - Source: Getty
Mercedes driver George Russell has said that dominating his teammate Lewis Hamilton in qualifying this year wasn't something that he would put on his CV. The 26-year-old has been the faster of the two British drivers in average one-lap pace driving the W15 in 2024. He currently leads the 39-year-old, arguably the greatest qualifier in F1 history as he has claimed 104 pole positions, 16-5, and is also ahead of him in the driver's championship by two points.
Speaking with ESPN ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Russell reflected on the head-to-head and wasn't concerned about beating Hamilton in qualifying as he believed the seven-time F1 world champion had not jelled with the W15.
"I'm just focused on my own job, to be honest. I jump in the car and try and drive as fast as possible and if I'm ahead of Lewis, it's great. He's my only reference," George Russell said. "He's the greatest driver of all time and has the most pole positions so it gives me confidence that if the car performs I know I can achieve the same.
