Eddie Jordan: Lewis has regained his former enthusiasm

David Coulthard believes the intra-team rivalry between the Mercedes racers has tipped the scales once again in favor of Lewis Hamilton, who has clearly improved in recent years and is outperforming George Russell.

At the same time, the relationship between the partners remains quite harmonious, they effectively cooperate and help the team to overcome a difficult period. But last year it looked like Russell was more comfortable behind the wheel of a far-from-perfect car and won the race in Brazil, as the seven-time world champion finished the season without a win, scoring 35 points less than his younger team-mate.

But in 2023 Mercedes’ form is already better, as the season progresses the team continues to progress and Hamilton also gains confidence.

“We’ve already said we shouldn’t jump to conclusions because Lewis, when he’s in shape, remains a very strong partner,” Coulthard shared his reasoning on the Formula for Success podcast (“Formula for Success”). “We definitely see the situation changing in the sense that Lewis is doing really well, and his voice has strong tones again when he communicates with his team.”

Eddie Jordan, the second participant in this podcast, also agrees with the Scot: “I had serious doubts about Russell, but George dispelled them completely, and I decided that he was a future world champion. If he plays for a good team and has a good car, then there are all the necessary ingredients.

But Lewis upped the ante, regained his former enthusiasm and in Canada built up a good racing tactic, taking full advantage of the car’s capabilities. We see that Mercedes have managed to add, and this is encouraging, but they are still a bit behind Aston Martin and Red Bull.

However, I do not believe that Red Bull will face difficulties in the future. I think the battle for championship victory is actually over, sad as it is to admit. But I think so, because I don’t see anyone who can overtake Max Verstappen.”