‘Life is not going to be getting easier for Hamilton’

Swapping his wingman Valtteri Bottas for a “hungry” George Russell, Christian Horner reckons Lewis Hamilton is in for a tough intra-team battle this season.

After five seasons with Hamilton as their unofficial number one driver backed up by “wingman” Bottas, Mercedes have a new line-up this season.

And while it may be one of the strongest, it could also be one of the more competitive on the grid if the opening pre-season timesheet is any indication.

Hamilton came from behind on Day Two, where he was slowest of all, to top the timesheet on the third and final day at the Circuit de Catalunya, his 1:19.138 also the fastest overall time for the three-day test.

His new team-mate Russell finished second, 0.095s slower than his compatriot.

But while everyone knows that the lap times set in testing don’t count for much, just ask Ferrari after their 2019 pace-setting times only to fall flat when the season started, it is a sign that the Mercedes team-mates could be fairly well matched this season.

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That, Horner says, could yet prove to be a headache for Hamilton.

While the 37-year-old will be chasing a record-breaking eighth World title this season, looking to retake the crown off Max Verstappen, Russell is seeking to make a name for himself and possibly follow in Verstappen’s footsteps by winning his first title.

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