George Russell shares how drivers had reached out to him as prospective Lewis Hamilton replacements at Mercedes

George Russell recently shared that he received a few messages and calls from drivers regarding Lewis Hamilton's seat at Mercedes.

Speaking to the media, including Sportskeeda, Russell stated that he had discussed Hamilton's replacement with Mercedes. However, he clarified that the final decision would be taken by Toto Wolff and the board of directors.

George Russell then shared that he knew of several drivers who contacted Wolff regarding the vacant seat. He even added that he personally received messages and calls from drivers as well.

“Ultimately, the decision is with Toto and the board. We’ve already had conversations and I’ve been with Toto a lot this winter, so seeing the drivers’ names pop up on the telephones was quite funny, and even on my phone as well the phone calls and text messages. So yeah it’s been quite interesting,” he said.

The explosive announcement of Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari shook the F1 community. Lewis Hamilton will drive for the Silver Arrows for one more season in 2024 before moving to the Italian outfit.

Given that Mercedes is one of the most successful teams in the sport, many will be eyeing the second seat alongside George Russell. Drivers like Carlos Sainz, Kimi Antonelli, Fernando Alonso, and Alex Albon have popped up in reports as candidates who could replace Hamilton. As of now, the team has not officially announced who they will be hiring as their new driver.

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Mercedes team boss praises George Russell for being 'toe to toe' with Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff recently praised George Russell for being on par with seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton. Wolff also stated that he was not stressed about finding Hamilton's replacement, with Russell still in the team.

In a press conference following Hamilton's transfer announcement, Toto Wolff praised George Russell for being as quick as the multiple world champion.

“First of all, having George in the seat is great for the team. He’s been going toe to toe with Lewis the last two seasons. There was nothing between them and knowing that we have a driver at that level makes the decision for the second seat much more comfortable,” Wolff said (via F1.com).

When it comes to choosing Lewis Hamilton's replacement, Toto Wolff claimed that he had yet to discuss it with the team. He stated that he did not know whether he wanted a rookie or an experienced driver on the team.

"I haven’t really properly reflected with the team on where we want to go. From a rookie to very experienced because I don’t know yet what is the best for any potential driver coming or for the team going forward,” he added.

George Russell was able to outscore Lewis Hamilton in his first season with Mercedes in 2022. However, Hamilton bounced back in 2023 and ended the year as the leading Mercedes driver.