Lewis Hamilton instructed after the Saudi Arabian GP that Mercedes team-mate George Russell had benefitted from luck after they selected different automobile setups; watch the Australian GP reside on Sky Sports activities F1 this weekend, with Sunday’s race reside at 6am

George Russell completed forward of Lewis Hamilton on the Saudi Arabian GP

George Russell has rejected Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton’s claims that his superior efficiency on the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was based mostly on luck.

Russell comfortably outqualified Hamilton in Jeddah earlier than ending the race the place he began it in fourth, a spot forward of Hamilton who recovered from seventh on the grid.

With the Mercedes pair having chosen different setups going into the weekend, Hamilton mentioned after the race that “as a rule” Russell’s would have been the “incorrect one”, and that consequently he “might solely match his tempo quite than be faster”.

“I do not assume there’s any luck in it in any respect,” Russell mentioned on Thursday forward of this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, when requested to deal with Hamilton’s feedback.

“I believe it is all the way down to the preparation you place in earlier than the occasion.

Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant

Hamilton spoke about Russell’s arrange after the Saudi Arabian GP

“The adjustments we made in a single day, I knew that was going to be the appropriate route with the work we did with the workforce. And I believed it was going to be higher than the setup that Lewis opted for.

“I believe everyone’s bought totally different preferences, I used to be pleased with the route I took and the work I am doing with the engineers.”

Russell impressively outperformed Hamilton in his debut marketing campaign with Mercedes final 12 months, ending 35 factors forward of the seven-time world champion within the drivers’ standings, and likewise claiming the workforce’s solely win of the season.

Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant

Mercedes driver George Russell’s battle for P3 adopted some confusion round Aston Martin Fernando Alonso’s five-second penalty on the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Hamilton, together with Mercedes workforce principal Toto Wolff, repeatedly instructed all through 2022 that his willingness to experiment with alternate setups on their troublesome W13 automobile was the rationale he misplaced floor to Russell.

Hamilton: Russell did a fantastic job

Talking shortly after Russell in Melbourne on Thursday, Hamilton sought to make clear the feedback he had made in Jeddah.

“I believe folks in all probability, from my selection of phrases on the weekend… I need to reiterate how nice a job George did on the weekend,” the seven-time world champion mentioned.

“I believe the factor I used to be commenting on is that there is one particular factor that you would be able to change within the suspension that you must do over Friday night time.

Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant

Hamilton says Mercedes are hoping for rain on the Australian Grand Prix to make ‘racing extra thrilling’ and likewise displays on the tip of his working relationship with efficiency coach Angela Cullen

“And whenever you make that change, when you begin P3 (last follow), you may’t change it for the remainder of the weekend, so whenever you make that change, you are mainly rolling the cube – typically it really works, typically it would not.

“I’ve carried out it previously, typically it hasn’t labored, typically it has, and it labored nice for George and he did a fantastic job.

“And the factor that I used to be missing within the race was a number of entrance finish, which that setup provides you, so, in hindsight, that may’ve been nice.”

Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant

Sky F1’s Karun Chandhok takes a have a look at the Albert Park Circuit forward of this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix

“We took a lot of learnings from it – I believe race tempo was fairly first rate, notably within the second stint.

“And for us to maneuver ahead and get fourth and fifth place was nice factors for the workforce and a fantastic outcome contemplating the place we’re when it comes to efficiency deficit.”

Hamilton goes into Sunday’s race in Melbourne two factors forward of Russell within the 2023 drivers’ standings, with the workforce targeted on making an attempt to shut their deficit to Purple Bull, who’re searching for a 3rd successive one-two to start out the season.

Watch the Australian Grand Prix reside on Sky Sports activities F1 this weekend, with Sunday’s race reside at 6am. Get Sky Sports activities