Lewis Hamilton has been the face of Formula 1 for over a decade now, as the 37-year-old has reached highs that most would see as unachievable, with seven world championships and counting.
The Stevenage-born driver loves the glitz and the glamour that comes with being one of the most successful drivers in Formula 1, often being spotted around the paddock in the newest designer gear and jewellery.
Max Verstappen has recently claimed that the main difference between himself and Hamilton is the fact that he would much rather go under the radar of the public while racing in F1, while the Brit is more than happy to stand in the spotlight and enjoy that fame and popularity that comes with being one of only twenty active F1 drivers.
The seven-time world champion has found most of his success when he has been paired with a more relaxed teammate who is happy to sit in his shadow, for example Valtteri Bottas, who kept a fairly low profile during his time with Mercedes compared to Hamilton.
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Ex-F1 driver Christian Danner has suggested that George Russell’s differing personality to Hamilton could actually be good news for Mercedes, with the young Brit not having as much of an ego as his veteran teammate.
“They are an interesting duo in terms of personalities, because Lewis Hamilton usually has his ego flown by a jumbo jet and George Russell is more of a chatterbox who approaches things with an open mind,” explained the German.
“To have those two in one team, I find very exciting.”
Toto Wolff has described Hamilton’s relationship with Russell as ‘respectful’, claiming that both drivers have the desire to get the better of one another, but this is needed in a winning team.
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Hamilton was outscored by Russell in 2022, the first time that he has been outscored by a teammate since 2016, when Nico Rosberg beat him to the title and then subsequently retired.
Mercedes will be hoping that there is not a repeat of Hamilton’s breakdown in relationship with Rosberg should Russell continue to get the better of the 37-year-old in 2023, with the veteran claiming that his is not concerned about being outscored by the Mercedes newcomer as neither driver were competing for the title.
The 2022 season was a poor one for Mercedes, who were significantly out-developed by their rivals, however the team have expressed their confidence in their ability to return to the top in 2023 after using their failures as a learning curve.