LEWIS HAMILTON will welcome George Russell to Mercedes with open arms.
Russell is expected to be confirmed as Hamilton’s team-mate for 2022, with the news likely to be announced at next week’s Italian Grand Prix.
Both Russell and the outgoing Valtteri Bottas say they know where they will be racing next season.
And while Hamilton has always been supportive of Bottas, he says Russell, 23, is the future of the sport.
When asked about Russell joining the team, Hamilton said: “I honestly think it would be good. George is an incredibly talented driver.
“I’d say the only highlight from last week was his qualifying lap, it was amazing. He’s humble, he’s got a great approach. Being British probably helps in terms of communication.
“At the moment I have to be super-supportive to the team-mate I have right now, so that’s why I’m always supportive of Valtteri.
“We have a job to do and neither of us can win the team championship alone. We have to do it collectively.
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“But George is the future of the sport. He’s already shown incredible driving so far and I’m sure he’s going to continue to grow.”
Hamilton also says that he does not feel threatened by Russell’s arrival in the team as he has “nothing to prove”.
Hamilton, 36, added: “I have raced against some incredible drivers as team-mates. My rookie year I was alongside Fernando Alonso. I don’t feel like I’ve got anything to prove.
“If anything, if it does turn out I’ve got a new team-mate, I’m in a different place in my life, I’m excited to see the youngsters coming through.
“It’s not that I want to lose to a youngster but I’m excited to see the progression of the sport as I am a fan at the end of the day.
“It’s encouraging to see these youngsters come through. They’re fierce, I see a lot of myself in the younger generation. They’re what the sport is going to rely on.”
Meanwhile, Hamilton says he will not suffer if he is targeted by the Dutch boo-boys who are coming to cheer on local hero Max Verstappen at this weekend’s Dutch GP.
Hamilton added: “It’s something you could potentially expect. Of course we’ve seen a lot of the orange fans.
“I’ve never been someone who would go to an event and boo, but I understand it, you see it in football.
“It’s just a passion that the fans have – or the dislike that some of them have of their opponents.
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“I respect it, I’ve always loved coming up to Holland, particularly Amsterdam is one of the greatest cities.
“I know I do have some Team LH fans in the Netherlands, which I really appreciate. They’re probably a small portion in the grandstand out there and I admire them for being able to withstand the boos too, but that’s the sport.
“What I do is try and churn that energy that they propel towards me, however you want to take it, and turn it to positive and try and put it into driving.”
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