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Tyres NorthamptonOh, what a time to browse the Internet as a Formula One fan. The fickleness of the sport's supporters is on full display in 2022. Some now deride Carlos Sainz, who finished ahead of Charles Leclerc in 2021, as a choker and Charles' number two. Others aren't as engaged this season with Max Verstappen dominating, seemingly disappointed that they're not getting a title fight as close as last season. And then there are the camps battling on behalf of Lewis Hamilton's misfortune versus those entrenched in George Russell's greatness.
A surprising number of people out there are putting forward that Hamilton is a spent force with Russell showing him up at Mercedes, despite the seven-time champion being one lap away from last year's crown while racing on his old Pirelli tyres. As with Sainz's "worthiness" or Verstappen's "dull" reign at the top, these all make for some fun pub debates. However, drawing conclusions from only nine races serves as much point as comparing Juan Manuel Fangio and Ayrton Senna – you can form an opinion, but it's hard to back it up.
I believe the Hamilton vs Russell debate will continue for as long as the pair are teammates. Who is the better driver? Who is quicker? Who can adapt to the car faster? Who can soak up the pressure? It's all very speculative and circumstantial. You can look at the points tally and finishing positions for some guidance, but those that have watched every lap of the season will know that they never give the whole picture. And that's not to mention the new era of Pirelli tyres or aerodynamic regulations we have this year.
As of today – a week or so before the British Grand Prix – the facts are as follows. Russell leads Hamilton by 34 points, with 111 for the newcomer Russell to Hamilton's 77. The boy wonder has yet to finish outside the top five all season, while his teammate has had four races where he's crossed the line in P6 or below. And Russell has three trophies from his podium tips, with Hamilton collecting just two. Finally, Qualifying head-to-heads are 5-4 in favour of the new kid on the Mercedes block. Statistically, Russell is inarguably better.
But let's take another look at that same data because we're humans and not some data machine from Amazon that draws incorrect Insights from some numbers for tyre life percentages. Of course, a 34-point swing is sizeable for drivers not contesting wins. However, it's fair to say Russell has been the benefactor of so-called "cheap" pit stops when the Virtual Safety Car or Safety Car has been out on track, certainly more so than Hamilton.
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In Saudi Arabia, Hamilton couldn't pit when Daniel Ricciardo's McLaren stopped at pit entry, dropping him from P6 to P12 in the Safety Car period. Russell leapfrogged Hamilton during another Safety Car slowdown in Australia after Sebastian Vettel crashed out, taking the podium in his teammate's stead. Russell also pitted in Miami after Lando Norris' crash for some fresh Pirelli Medium tyres, which helped him overtake Hamilton, who stayed out on older Hard rubber. There was also a Lap 1 puncture that dropped Hamilton to the back in Spain, and the Fernando Alonso DRS train ruined his Monaco Grand Prix.
Of course, there's a little more nuance to all of this, but it paints a picture of how looking at stats shows Russell as the undisputed better driver, while the reality is far more opaque. Hamilton certainly would have more podiums than Russell and might've made his young teammate finish in P6 or below if not for the timing of some Safety Cars allowing Russell to get new Pirelli tyres. You have to say the 34-point lead somewhat flatters Russell, although he probably would still be the lead Mercedes, but not by as much.
Even the 5-4 Qualifying stat is misleading; it represents the most evenly matched driver pairing on the grid. Each driver has failed to make it to Q3 twice in 2022, although Hamilton's P16 Q1 exit is an undeniable low. It's this head-to-head statistic that I feel is most pertinent of all. Hamilton and Russell are closely matched, and they may well be the most equal lineups on the F1 grid this season, which is terrific news for Mercedes and British motorsport fans.
So, is George Russell better than Lewis Hamilton? Some days, perhaps, other days, perhaps not. That's not a negative for either driver. On the contrary, it reminds me of the 2007 season, minus the grooved tyres and crazy aerodynamics. A young British up-and-comer who was part of a team's driver academy programme joins a Mercedes-powered constructor and often beats his multiple-World Champion teammate.
Back then, we couldn't predict Hamilton would win seven titles to join Alonso as one of the sport's greats. Maybe history will repeat, and the Russell-Hamilton duo will someday represent one of the most iconic pairings in F1 history. We can't draw that conclusion after nine races, only opinions, but it will be fascinating to look back on in years to come.
