Sky Sports F1 Podcast: George Russell can’t be ‘nice guy’ in Lewis Hamilton battle, says Nico Rosberg

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Nico Rosberg says George Russell cannot afford to play the ‘nice guy’ in his rivalry with Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton

George Russell “can’t just be a nice guy” in his battle with Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg told the Sky Sports F1 Podcast.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton took responsibility and apologized for causing a first-corner collision with Russell at the Qatar Grand Prix earlier in October, when the rivalry between the teams boiled over after several near misses.

With both drivers contracted to the team until the end of the 2026 season, maintaining a positive relationship is likely to be a crucial factor in Mercedes’ hopes of ending Red Bull’s dominant streak.

Rosberg, who drove alongside Hamilton at Mercedes for four seasons and beat the Briton in his final F1 campaign in 2016 to clinch a maiden drivers’ title, has warned that Russell must keep up the pressure at all levels.

“Things have flared up there because it also went way over the limit in Suzuka once when they both took each other off the track,” said Rosberg.

“It is also a very difficult situation for George. Unfortunately, in such a situation you cannot just be a nice guy; you also have to keep the pressure on internally.”

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Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton and George Russell collide on the opening lap of the Qatar Grand Prix

“Unfortunately you have to make it difficult for the team. It’s a shame, but otherwise the team will always choose the easiest way.

“So it’s very awkward because George has to push – which he does on the radio, you hear him say things like ‘one more time’ and things like that. So he’s really trying to hold back.”

Hamilton said after the race that the incident was “100 percent” his fault, and was also shown in a video posted to Mercedes’ social media channels apologizing and hugging Russell, who recovered from the rear of the field and finished fourth. .

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It seems all is well between George Russell and Lewis Hamilton after the Mercedes pair hugged following their clash at the Qatar GP

“It was a good event in Qatar for George because Lewis basically admitted (he was wrong),” Rosberg added.

“So that was a big win for George in that sense, also internally, which is very rare because Lewis has never been 100 percent wrong in my time, so he never really had to concede in that way.

So it is very rare that Lewis is 100 percent to blame for this, but that usually never happens.

“It’s something to keep an eye on. It’s an interesting battle and a dynamic opening out there.”

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Sky F1’s Karun Chandhok takes a closer look at the collision between George Russell and Lewis Hamilton on Mercedes’ opening lap

‘Wolff’s absence in Qatar not ideal’

The clash in Qatar, along with the near miss in Japan that preceded it, took place in the absence of Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, who was recovering at home from knee surgery.

Rosberg believes Wolff, who is expected to return this weekend at the United States Grand Prix, is the only person at Mercedes with the “authority” to keep the situation under control.

“That (Wolff’s absence) wouldn’t have been ideal because Toto is the only person there who can make that happen – the only person who has the authority and the respect to be able to do that, and he’s the right person to address that,” Wolff said. said.

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The FIA ​​​​is ‘reviewing’ this incident where Lewis Hamilton crossed the live track of the Qatar Grand Prix after his crash with George Russell

“No one else can force them to sit down and have a discussion. I think it will be very good for Toto to be back on the track.”

Rosberg also speculated that Wolff, who lives in Monaco with both British drivers, may have taken advantage of the trio’s proximity to bring them together after the Qatar GP.

“What Toto could do, maybe when they are back in Monaco (home) on the Monday after Qatar, maybe he would have sat down with both of them or gone to Lewis’s apartment and spoken to George individually first. Then ideally you would also put them together.”

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Ted Kravitz discusses in the Sky Sports F1 Podcast whether the Mercedes collision was long overdue and how the teammates could have prevented the crash

“He has so much experience in managing teammates, so he knows what needs to be done. The most important thing for him is to be neutral, that’s the advice Alain Prost gave him during my time.

“He said: ‘Toto, the most important thing is never to take sides among the drivers. Stay neutral, because once you take sides, things will get out of hand.’

“So I’m sure Toto will have learned a lot and I’m sure he will manage that well.”

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