George Russell sends Lewis Hamilton retirement plea in bid to battle F1 star – EXCLUSIVE

F1: George Russell hikes during the off-season

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George Russell thinks Lewis Hamilton winning his eighth Formula One world championship is inevitable but wants to battle the Brit and has urged him to avoid retiring. Russell, 23, got a taste of superstardom at the end of last season as he stepped into the title-winning Mercedes of Covid-stricken Hamilton and but for an untypical team mess up in the pits, would have won the race in style.

For now, it’s back to reality as he begins the last of his three-year contract with the back of the grid Williams team – but with his eyes very firmly fixed on doing enough to reclaim that Mercedes seat on a more permanent basis.

The current Mercedes line-up, Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, are both out of contract at the end of the year – sparking much speculation that the seven-time world champion could call it a day at the end of 2021

In an exclusive interview with the Mercedes Junior driver he had nothing but admiration for his fellow brit.

He said: “I think that’s quite inevitable to be honest, he’s going to wrap up his eighth title this year.

“Whether he goes on to retire or not, is his decision.

“I hope that he doesn’t, I would love to see him stick around a few more years and even more so love to go up against him but equally he’s done it all and by the end of this year he’s completed everything and could be going out on the top of his game, with every record in the record book.”

Russell will go up against team-mate Nicholas Latifi this season at Williams, but after having a taste at the top end of the grid, the brit said he was hungry to pit his wits against the best.

He explained: “Max [Verstappen], Lewis, Charles [Leclerc] – I’d love to be teammates against and would be really excited to be teammates with.

“I believe in myself and I want to go up against the best in the business, Daniel [Riccardo] included, but from the younger generation, Max and Charles are the two top dogs, and they’ve had the opportunity to prove themselves a bit more than I have, but I’d be super excited.

“Charles is contracted for next year, but if the stars were to be aligned and I somehow found myself against Max, I think that would be quite extraordinary.”

Russell says he feels no extra pressure to become the next Lewis Hamilton.

“What Lewis has achieved is incredible, and it’s going to be incredibly difficult to match,” he said.

“From the second he jumped in an F1 car, he was in a car capable to win, and he’s been at the front of the grid and at the top of his game since 2007.

“But no additional pressure [for me], I’m in it for myself and the guys who have helped me along the way and supported me, I’m here for those people.

“I’m not going to put unnecessary pressure on myself just because I’m British. I’m a proud Brit, but just because Lewis is a Brit and he’s achieved so much, it’s not going to change anything.”

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