Wolff: Hamilton's metrics are often wrongly questioned

Toto Wolff said not to question Lewis Hamilton's metrics, and that he only needed to be fair on the track when it came to competing with younger teammate George Russell.

Wolfe said he "immediately congratulated" Max Verstappen, but faced great disappointment after the end-of-season finale in Abu Dhabi. Mercedes have a new squad this season, with Russell replacing Bottas as Hamilton's new team-mate. Will the pair be a good partnership, or will it only be a matter of time before the relationship breaks down? Experts disagree on this.

Their F1 career is at a very different stage, with Hamilton chasing a record-breaking eighth world title, the first year of his new two-year contract. In stark contrast, Russell is at the beginning of his career, with 2022 marking his fourth season in F1. And, unlike Hamilton, he has yet to win a race title, let alone a world championship.

As a result, Russell is unlikely to accept the role of number two driver, with the 23-year-old hoping to climb to the top of F1, which begs the question of how Hamilton will respond if that happens.

When asked by reporters, Wolfe said: "Lewis's metrics are often wrongly questioned and even after the events in Abu Dhabi, he immediately congratulated Max. Lewis wanted only one thing: fair play on the track. We'll do it. ”

Wolff has made it clear to both drivers that he doesn't want the same feud as nico Rosberg did when he was Hamilton's teammate.

Asked about his ideal team-mate relationship this season, he replied: "I want two lightning-fast drivers to fight for the win, and if not, then we need those drivers to get our car back on the winning track. ”

Mercedes will launch the 2022 model W13 on Feb. 18, which will be tested on the same day at Silverstone.