Lewis Hamilton‘s start to the 2024 season has been far from optimal, and talks of George Russell taking over the baton of team leader are raging strong. Former world champion Damon Hill, however, doesn’t think that is the case and sends a warning to Russell, ahead of the Saudi Arabian GP.

In the recent episode of the F1 Nation podcast, Hill talks about how Hamilton starts every season on a relatively slow note. But with each passing race, the seven-time world champion gets better and better, until he once again establishes himself as the clear number one in the team.

“He does tend to start a season quite relaxed,” said Hill. “And then he just turns it up. After the summer break, he just comes back a little bit more angry.”

Hill pointed this out specifically because Russell seems to have had a better start over Hamilton in 2024. This could lead to Russell feeling he is in a good position, only for Hamilton to come back and “ground him in the dirt.”

With that, the 1996 champion also notes that Hamilton himself can’t afford to be too relaxed.

Lewis Hamilton cannot afford to be too relaxed

Ahead of the start of the 2024 season, Lewis Hamilton announced that he would leave Mercedes at the end of the current campaign. He will join Ferrari, and because of this, many expect George Russell to be the new leader of the team.

Hill wants Hamilton to avoid letting Russell get the better of him at this moment. Eventually, he will be the number one driver at the Silver Arrows, but he will be looking to establish dominance from this season onwards itself. Russell outqualified Hamilton in Bahrain last weekend, and in the race too, he finished ahead of his seven-time world champion teammate.

Lewis Hamilton cannot afford to let Russell get too far ahead, or it will be difficult for him to catch him. This is Russell’s third season at Mercedes, and he has already beaten Hamilton once. Before parting ways, he would love to go one up on the Stevenage-born driver, starting his own era at Mercedes in the process.