George Russell says his last lap battle with Lewis Hamilton in Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was more than just a fight for position – it was a “fitting” closing chapter at Mercedes of a remarkable three-year partnership with one of the sport's all-time greats.
Hamilton, starting from a distant 16th on the grid at Yas Marina, delivered a masterful drive to finish fourth, overtaking Russell in the final seconds of the race.
While the move may have stung in the heat of the moment, Russell saw it as a symbol of the competitive spirit that has defined their time together at Mercedes.
“The season's come to close now. We've been off the pace this whole weekend, and I felt like it was quite a fitting way to finish with Lewis, just one second apart after these three years,” commented Russell after F1's season finale.
“To be honest, I'm just really happy for him that he had a great final race, because I think he deserved it.
“The team deserved to give him the send-off. And yeah, just pleased that it's come to a close now.”
Across their three seasons as teammates, Russell consistently held his own against Hamilton, with the pair proving evenly matched despite the latter's legendary status and the former's relative youth.
This year, Russell out-qualified Hamilton 19–5, cementing his reputation as one of the brightest stars in the sport.
But the relationship went far beyond lap times and championship standings. For Russell, Hamilton was more than a rival – he was a mentor and a teammate who pushed him to new heights.
The last-lap skirmish between the two Mercedes drivers may have been tense for fans, but for Russell, there was never any doubt it would be a clean fight.
Before the final push, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff came on the radio with a pointed reminder: “George, stating the obvious, keep it clean with Lewis.”
Russell smiled when recounting the message, insisting it wasn't necessary.
“Of course, of course. Toto doesn't need to say it,” he added. “Lewis and I have got so much respect for one another, we always raced hard but fairly and come down to the wire.
“But ultimately, for me, having these three years together, [I've] learned so much from Lewis as a driver, as a person. Today he deserved to finish ahead of me, because he's been quicker this whole weekend.
“And as I said, I'm just sort of… proud to have had these years.”
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