The story of the races themselves is a little more interesting. Lewis beat George first time out in Bahrain, then George beat Lewis five times on the trot. But five races after that, at the half-way point of the season (Austria), Lewis had clawed the deficit back to 5-6. Five races later (Italy) George was back on top 7-9 at which point Lewis turned the tables winning the next four to lead 11-9 (after Mexico). George however took the last two to make the final head-to-head tally stand as each driver had 11 victories over the other. Which seemed very fair.
What can be deduced from this? Well perhaps George’s better performance earlier in the season reflected the fact he was driving a car that was far better than what he was used to, and Lewis the reverse. Lewis got his head around that, got back on terms and even got ahead before it leveled out again. Between Canada and Mexico Lewis beat George eight times in eleven races which seems like a bit more than the luck of the draw.
But it was George who finished ahead of Lewis at the end of the season, even beating the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz in a car that for most of the season had no right doing anything of the sort. So too was it George who scored Mercedes-Benz’s only victory of the season and did so fending off Lewis in a straight fight under unimaginable pressure. He had more fastest laps than Lewis (but don’t read much into that) and while he was outqualified by Lewis more often than not, his average qualifying position was actually higher, as was his average finishing position across the season. On the other hand, Lewis found himself on the podium nine times in 2022, George just eight…
Russell’s flawless performance in Brazil meant Mercedes did not suffer its first winless season in over a decade
Here, however, is the thing. Even if you squint slightly and decide that it really was honors even over the season – I’d be fascinated to read any objective account that argues Lewis edged it – what George has achieved going into a team with which Lewis won four titles in a row (which many would argue was morally five), even breasting the tape side by side is an absolutely monumental achievement for which I don’t think he has received nearly enough credit, largely down to the fact that neither Mercedes was regularly in the hunt for outright wins. Had they been contesting the championship, I’m sure George would be being lionised by now. I am sure too that the big cheeses will be forever grateful that thanks to his flawless performance in Brazil (starting the race from pole, winning it and completing the fastest lap) the team did not have to suffer its first winless season in over a decade .
So I’m going to say it: in his first year with Mercedes-AMG George Russell didn’t just outscore Lewis Hamilton, he outdrove him too. Plenty will disagree and that’s fine, for there are no right or wrong answers here. But to me at least with no ax to grind in either direction, that’s how it appears. And given who he was up against, that is extraordinary.
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