09 February 2024 , 13:29
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Eddie Jordan doubts we will see George Russell become a Formula 1 champion any time soon.
Russell is about to begin his third season with Mercedes, and his final as team-mate to Lewis Hamilton. The Brits have beaten each other once each so far over the course of a full campaign - but the performance gap between them last year was significant.
Saddled with another car incapable of challenging the Red Bulls, Hamilton still extracted all the performance he could to finish third in the drivers' championship. Russell, however, struggled to do that and could only manage eighth place and 65 points fewer than his fellow Briton.
Hamilton will leave Mercedes at the end of the coming season to start a new chapter of his career with Ferrari. That will leave Russell free to take on the mantle of team leader - but former F1 team owner Jordan is not convinced of the 25-year-old's title credentials.
Speaking on his Formula For Success podcast, he said: "Let's be honest, George Russell has won one Grand Prix. Do I think he can be a world champion next year or the year after? I just think that Lewis had too much on him [in 2023].
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"When Lewis didn't quite have the car that he wanted at the beginning of the year, George was able to drive around that. Lewis didn't bother because... not that he didn't bother, but he just didn't feel that the car was good enough to be able to do the job.
"Nevertheless, as the season progressed, Lewis got his mojo together. And he made us all look up and say, 'Hm, maybe Lewis still has it'. And I think that because of the change in fortune, that's why he went to Ferrari."
Nevertheless, Russell has received backing from boss Toto Wolff to lead Mercedes into the future. The Austrian said: "Our main focus is on the 2024 season now. We have two excellent drivers, we have Lewis in his final year at Mercedes and George eager to get back in the car and perform.
"We need to put a car on the track that has more pace than last year's car and we know how difficult it will be to compete not only with Red Bull but also the others. Also, with all the Lewis discussion, one thing that has not been talked about enough is George - George has the potential to be the next lead driver in the team.
"He is of the generation of Lando and Leclerc and some of the others and I couldn't wish for a [better] new team leader for when Lewis leaves, no doubt about that. We have such a solid foundation and a quick and intelligent guy in the car - we just need to make the right choice for the second seat. That's not something I want to rush into."