Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton fearful of George Russell?

Jacques Villeneuve indicated that Lewis Hamilton doesn’t want George Russell to be his teammate in the 2022 Formula 1 season, noting that he wants somebody who won’t “bother” him.

The key focal point of this year’s Formula 1 silly season has been the second Mercedes car, which remains without a confirmed driver for 2022. While seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton signed a contract extension that runs through the 2023 season, Valtteri Bottas remains a pending free agent in what is his fifth season driving for the Silver Arrows.

The Brackley-based team are expected to make their decision at some point before the end of the summer break, which is scheduled to last until the Belgian Grand Prix at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps less than two weeks from now on Sunday, August 29.

It is expected that either Bottas will re-sign with the team or Mercedes junior driver George Russell, who is in the final year of a three-year deal with Williams, will receive the promotion for which he has been waiting.

Former Formula 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve, however, has other ideas.

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He believes that change is coming at Mercedes, but he believes that current Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll will be the man who gets the call to join the Silver Arrows as Hamilton’s teammate for 2022.

Why? For several reasons, including the idea that he believes Hamilton doesn’t want to have Russell as a teammate to “bother” him, especially after the impressive display he put on in Hamilton’s car in last year’s Sakhir Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit after Hamilton tested positive for COVID-19.

Mind you, he did it in a car that left him with bruised knees and bloody knuckles, as the cockpit was designed for the smaller Hamilton.

Here is what Villeneuve had to say about the matter to Italian newspaper Libero Quotidiano.

"“For me, [Bottas] could move to Aston Martin, instead of Lance Stroll, who would go to Mercedes. Stroll senior’s dream is to see his son win championships. He’s very close to Toto Wolff, and Toto needs a place for Valtteri.“Hamilton certainly doesn’t want to have Russell as a teammate. It’s better to have someone like Bottas, who won’t bother him.”"

So is Hamilton truly fearful of having a teammate who could potentially keep up with him and challenge him?

This particular point has been hotly debated as of late (even more so than the last seven or eight years in general), especially as we get closer and closer to the big decision.

One anonymous source called the rumor of Hamilton being the roadblock in the way of the second car decision being made “bull****”, though the credibility of that source is unknown, especially considering past happenings at the Silver Arrows regarding Hamilton and a certain teammate he had before Bottas came along in 2017.

What will Mercedes’ driver lineup end up looking like for the 2022 Formula 1 season? Will they stick with Bottas, or will they look toward the future, like many of their rival teams already have, and promote Russell?