"George Russell has officially joined the dark side for 2023" - Fans react to Mercedes driver partying with Lewis Hamilton's rival Fernando Alonso

F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi - Previews
George Russell of Great Britain and Mercedes walks in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on November 17, 2022 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)

George Russell and Fernando Alonso were spotted celebrating the new year together as the Briton himself posted a story and many clips, which went viral all over the internet.

Many found it a little unsettling since Russell is Lewis Hamilton's teammate, and there was some heat between the seven-time world champion and Alonso during the Belgian Grand Prix. The incident in question happened in the initial stages of the race, which saw Hamilton having to retire from it.

As such, fans were amused to see Russell and Alonso together, and it sparked varied responses on Twitter:

"George Russell has officially joined the dark side for 2023"
"george and alonso??? was not on my 2023 bingo"
"As you notice the effect of the Mercedes engine"
"Where was Lewis’s invite?"
"George learned the moves from Lewis that’s for sure"
"George winning at least 4 races now"
"Yeah hamilton is ghosting pr63 next year"

Fans expecting George Russell to carry 2022's momentum into 2023

In his first season as a Mercedes driver, George Russell gave a flattering performance and scored higher than Lewis Hamilton, something that had only been achieved by two other drivers previously: Jenson Button and Nico Rosberg.

Fans were incredibly amazed by his performance, and Rosberg himself had high praise for him. PlanetF1 quoted him as saying:

“Lewis always has these special days very often where he’s untouchable but even then, George was right behind him. He’s always right behind him at the very least, if not in front of him.”

Although it was a fantastic season for Russell, it was quite the opposite for the team as it turned out to be one of their worst seasons with only one victory (Russell in Brazil). The aerodynamics of the W13 was to blame for this since the cars were losing speed at the start of the season.

Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso has made a move from Alpine to Aston Martin for the upcoming season. Some believe that this move is quite a downgrade for him, but the team is expecting to develop well with his experience, which will ultimately help them build a better and more competitive car.

Alonso, who didn't have the best of seasons last time out, will be hoping for a much better display in 2023.

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