Rumor: Hamilton not talking to Russell
When George Russell subbed for Lewis Hamilton last year in Bahrain, and proved he is just as good as Hamilton in the superior Mercedes F1 car, the rumors started that George Russell would replace Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes.
That has not happened yet, but you can bet Russell told Mercedes that he would drive their superior car for 1/10th what they were paying Lewis Hamilton.
Supposedly this caused Hamilton to take a pay cut this year or be replaced by Russell.
He decided to take the pay cut and stay, but only for one more year.
Now the rumor is that Hamilton won’t talk to George Russell because 1) He was forced to accept a lower salary, and 2) Russell showed that Hamilton’s F1 wins were as a result of the superior Mercedes car and their great race strategy.
”This is the first time I have heard this. However, the feelings of my drivers are the last thing on my mind. I can imagine it though because the competition between these two is very strong. The big boys always feel it when a good guy comes along, and Russell is the next generation,” Wolff said to Sport 24.