Mercedes 'Has The Best Lineup In F1' Ever Since Russell Joined Them Says Chandhok

Thursday, 04 January 2024 at 12:00

Updated at Thursday, 04 January 2024 at 14:16

Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok suggested Mercedes driver duo consisting of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell is the strongest pairing on the grid at the moment.

George Russell joined Mercedes in 2022, after three seasons with Williams. The 25-year old showed a great promise, but nobody expected him to come and beat the seven-time World Champion.

Yet, he beat Lewis Hamilton in the drivers Championship right in his first season with Mercedes, proving he definitely deserves his seat with the team.

In comparison, Valtteri Bottas, whom Russell replaced, was with Mercedes for five seasons, and he didn't beat his teammate a single time when it came to Championship standings.

Jacques Villeneuve recently suggested one of the reasons for Russell being able to beat Hamilton in his first season was the mindset that the 38-year-old got into after losing the championship and finding himself in an uncompetitive car next season.

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The Canadian World Champion suggested that dynamics changed this season as Hamilton recovered and again showed his strong pace.

The 25-year-old couldn't beat his teammate during what he described as the toughest season psychologically in his career. However, that does not take away from his qualities.

Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok recently suggested the most important question is whether Mercedes can build a competitive car for their drivers as he believes they are the strongest pairing on the grid. He told the Sky Sports F1 podcast.

"For me, the biggest question going into next season is what will Mercedes deliver for the drivers? I still maintain they've got the best driver lineup in F1, and they have done ever since they signed George."

While Max Verstappen said he does not need any competition to get the best out of himself, many F1 fans would love to see Mercedes drivers battle with Red Bull for the Championship. Chandhok added: