Hamilton would have stayed at Mercedes on current form, says Russell

BUDAPEST : George Russell is so sure of Mercedes' current form and future prospects he is convinced teammate Lewis Hamilton would not have signed for Ferrari had he known what was coming.

Seven times world champion Hamilton, Formula One's most successful driver of all time, stunned the sport when he announced in February he would be racing for the Italian team next season.

Mercedes won nothing in 2023, their first season-long blank since 2011, and Hamilton had not stood on the top step of the podium since 2021.

The former champions are now chasing a third successive victory at this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix with Hamilton, 39, triumphant for a record ninth time at his home British race and Russell in Austria.

"I don’t think he would have left if the team was performing like this. No way he would have left, for sure not," Russell told Reuters.

"For 2026 the PU (power unit)’s looking really strong and everything we’re doing with the fuels is looking great and there’s a lot of optimism for us over the next couple of years," he continued.

"As tough as these last few years have been, it really feels like we’ve got the momentum with us now."

Ferrari have also won twice this year but their recent form has dropped off and they are in danger of losing second place to resurgent McLaren.

"I think everybody wants change at some point," Russell said of Hamilton. "He’s been here 12 years now, he’s achieved so much with the team. I think for him it’s exciting to have that change.

"But of course if the team you’re currently with are winning races and everything is looking super-great for the future, you just want to be in the fastest car possible and it doesn’t matter what colour that is."

The 26-year-old was on pole in Canada and at