Mercedes replaced 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Valtteri Bottas with Russell for this campaign, marking their first driver change since 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Nico Rosberg’s shock retirement at the end of 2016.

Given Russel𓆏l’s potential coming into the team, there were fears that the previous calm atmosphere between Hamilton and Bottas would be eroded.

However, things ജhave remained civil between Hamilton and Russell, partially down to Mercedes not having a car capable of challenging for wins or the ch༒ampionship.

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Speaking after Hamilton’s P2 finish at the United States Grand🌜 Prix, Wolff revealed that his current drivers have a “really respectful and constructive relationship”.

“It’s really difficult to be friends in🏅 the paddock especially if you’re teammates but what I see is a really respectful and constructive relationship,” Wolff said. “I’ve never seen before two drivers that in a meeting they’re saying ‘What are you feeling in that corner?’ ‘Have you got the same problem?’. 

“There’s a real active exchange rather than keeping th🏅eir cards to their chest so I think that’s good for us.”&nbsꦫp;

Russell currently sits 20 points ahead of Hamilton in the drivers’168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: standings with three rounds remaining.

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The former Williams driver showed incredible consistency in the first half of the season, failing only to finish outside the top five on just one occasion - at Silversto🌃ne - when he crashed out.

Despite being ahead of his legendary teammate, Russell admitted in Austin that winning races and champion🌊ships is his main aim, not jus𒈔t beating Hamilton.

“If you asked me that at 𝕴the start of the season I probably would have said 🙈it means everything because if you beat Lewis Hamilton it means you'll be world champion,” Russell said in Austin.

“Obviously I want to finish ahead of him, of course. I'm here to win 🌠races and be on pole position and I want to fight for championships. It is everything on the line at the minute to try and achieve that.

“Ther꧟e are examples like in Montreal when I took the gamble on the slic💙ks. If I just wanted to beat my teammate I would have stayed out on the wets and made sure that was my focus but we had to roll the dice.”