F1 fans were not on the same page as former F1 World Champion Damon Hill regarding Mercedes coaching George Russell during the 2024 Canadian GP last weekend. The former Williams F1 driver claimed that the German team should back the young British more and leave him with his job on the track.
Hill believed that the Brackley-based outfit should back him and give him more confidence and not openly court Max Verstappen as a potential replacement for Lewis Hamilton as their team leader.
While appearing on the Sky F1 podcast, Damon Hill gave his advice to Mercedes on handling George Russell and instilling more confidence into him, saying:
"He is trying to establish himself as the lead driver. They're talking all the time about who's going to be his teammate for next year, rather than talking up George. I think that Mercedes ought to back him a bit harder."
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"They ought to give him a bit more confidence. And then he doesn't perhaps have to try so hard to prove himself in the race, because it seems to me he's trying to compensate a little bit for stuff. I think he needs to cool it."
F1 fans took to social media to give their reactions to the 1996 world champion's comments. They disagreed with his advice to the team and claimed:
"Russell is receiving too much," said a fan.
"Disagree. Comfort? He's not a rookie, been in F1 for 6 years. This is his 3rd year at Merc. He's always talking unrealistic goals and saying he should be winning. He has ONE win. The "Focus" instruction was right."
Another fan claimed:
"If they backed him any more than they already are, they’ll be driving the car for him."
"He’s gets backed enough, there’s a reason merc are trying to show to everyone they will be fine without Lewis but they just won’t be," wrote another fan.
"Deep down, toto knows George hasn't got the minerals to be THAT guy, otherwise he wouldn't have been chasing Max so hard."
Max Verstappen gives his advice to George Russell after Canada
Max Verstappen stated that he encouraged George Russell after the latter was too upset about his P3 finish at the Canadian GP last weekend.
Speaking with Sky Sports, the Red Bull driver said:
"I literally told George already before because he was a bit upset with himself probably, and I said, 'mate, these things can happen.' We are all pushing to the limit."
"Sometimes it works out for you, sometimes you make one mistake too much and it can catch you out. But that's racing as well."
The three-time world champion claimed that he was sure that Russell "will look back and learn from it. We're all very young so you learn a lot in your career."
George Russell started the race from pole position but lost his lead after a series of errors at crucial moments that saw him drift back to P3 on Sunday.
