Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were both given unflattering descriptions as a former Formula 1 driver assessed their partnership at Mercedes.
At the end of their first season as team-mates, now feels like an ideal time to look at how they got on. Of course, it was a disappointing campaign for the team overall – Mercedes were unable to challenge for the titles, owing to their underperforming car.
It left Hamilton and Russell scrapping for every point they could get, a job they both did well throughout the season. Perhaps that tough task forced them to work together even more than would usually be the case.
After all, Hamilton has not always got along with team-mates in the past. His rivalry with Fernando Alonso as a young rookie at McLaren remains infamous, while things also turned sour between the Brit and Nico Rosberg at Mercedes – particularly as they fought for the 2016 drivers' title.
With an ambitious young Russell joining this year, some expected more fireworks. But even though the younger Brit finished 35 points ahead in the drivers' standings, there was little sign of any needle between them – but it remains to be seen if that will change going forward.
After all, this year they were unable to mount a serious title challenge. If both drivers are in the hunt for the crown in 2023, for example, that could be when things could begin to get a little more tense on both sides of the Mercedes garage.
Former racer Christian Danner is someone who thinks that could happen. The German feels Hamilton and Russell have different personalities and that there is plenty of potential for fireworks between them going forward.
"They are an interesting duo in terms of personalities, because Lewis Hamilton usually has his ego flown in by jumbo jet and George Russell is more of a chatterbox who approaches things with an open mind," he undiplomatically told Sport1. "To have those two in one team, I find very exciting."
Speaking in October, Hamilton hinted himself that things could change in a title fight. "If he finishes ahead of me in the world championship this year, I won't mind," he told Auto Motor und Sport. "We're going for fifth and sixth places. It would be a different story if it was a matter of first and second place."
