Can Russell compete with Hamilton? "He will have to show patience"

Felipe Massa, former Formula One driver, was present at Monza during the Italian Grand Prix and gives his opinion. Massa knows better than anyone what it is like to compete with Lewis Hamilton, as the driver lost the world championship to Hamilton in 2008 by just one point difference. He is therefore looking forward to seeing the dynamics in the Mercedes team.

"I know what's coming for George. I came to Ferrari as a young driver from Sauber and I had Michael Schumacher next to me. I tried to learn as much as I could from Schumi, I followed him on the track, I tried his ways of solving things, but I also looked for something I could do differently to maybe get an advantage," he is quoted on Speedweek.com.

'Russell will have to show patience'

Massa has nothing but praise for Russell. "I think Russell is an exceptional driver. He has fabulous speed. He proved in the Williams that he is ready for bigger challenges and Sakhir 2020 showed what he is capable of in a top car. But he also knows it won't be easy next to Hamilton. But I see George as a driver with a cool head and his heart in the right place. I'm convinced he can achieve a lot in his first year at Mercedes."

What will Russell have to do to compete with Hamilton? "He will have to show patience. If you are more diligent than other drivers and keep your equanimity, the successes will come naturally, because that is what champions do," Massa concluded.