George Russell told Lewis Hamilton's 'true feelings' on Mercedes move after British GP win

Lewis Hamilton "didn't really want" George Russell as his Mercedes team-mate when he signed back in 2022, according to Peter Windsor. Russell replaced Valtteri Bottas - who Hamilton previously described as his 'best team-mate- at the Silver Arrows following the Finn's move to Alfa Romeo.

And while the move enticed racing fans across Britain at the time, Hamilton was said to be less than impressed by it. Russell came out of top in their first season as team-mates before Hamilton got the better of him in 2023.

The seven-time world champion has been second-par to Russell for much of this season but is now just one point behind him after his first race victory since 2021. Former F1 team manager Windsor believes the win - his ninth at the Silverstone track - will mean that much more to him because of what's gone on in the last few years, including Russell's arrival.

Taking to his YouTube channel to discuss Hamilton's British Grand Prix win, he said: "I think this race will be remembered because it was two and half years since Abu Dhabi 2021.

"Since everything that happened on that day when that eighth world championship was snatched from Lewis effectively on the last lap due to a mistake made by the race director, and it’s about everything that’s happened in Lewis’s life since then - a teammate that he didn’t really want, George Russell, instead of Valtteri Bottas, and then perhaps even more significantly, a very uncompetitive Mercedes."

It comes as Hamilton once again stepped to the top of the Formula 1 podium at the British Grand Prix on Sunday - two and a half years since he last was there. Hamilton held off a late charge from Max Verstappen to finally end a 945-day drought at Silverstone - and while Russell started the GP on pole, and Lando Norris led his own home race for a while, it was the 39-year-old from Stevenage who got the job done despite intense pressure in the race's final stages.

Hamilton and Russell have largely enjoyed a positive relationship as team-mates but with the former's impending exit to Ferrari and the latter's increasing stature in the sport and the Mercedes garage, tensions have risen a bit this season. It was only a few weeks ago that Hamilton appeared to suggest that Russell was being prioritised when he bizarrely ruled himself out beating his team-mate in qualifying for the rest of the season.

Russell responded recently by insisting Hamilton 'knows full well' they are treated equally. Hamilton's victory on Sunday follows Russell's win in Austria in what has been a sensational few weeks for Mercedes following a difficult couple of years lagging behind McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull.

Following his British GP victory, Hamilton said: "Since 2021, every day I'm getting up and fighting to train to put my mind to the task and work as hard as I can with this amazing team. This is my last race here at the British Grand Prix with this team.

"I wanted to win this so much for them because I love them and appreciate them so much. All the hard work they put in over these years. I'm forever grateful to everyone at Mercedes and all our partners. And to all our incredible fans. I could see you lap by lap. There's no greater feeling to finish at the front here."

He added: "There have definitely been days between 2021 and here where I didn’t feel like I was good enough or I was going to get back to where I am today. But the important thing is I had great people around me, continuing to support me. My team, every time I turned up and saw them putting in the effort that really encouraged me to do the same thing.

"Otherwise, my fans, when I see them around the world, they have been so supportive. So a big, big thank you to everybody."

Hamilton parts ways with Mercedes after an 11-year stint next year to race for Ferrari.