Russell has frequently outperformed Hamilton in qualifying, winning the head-to-head 4-1 and outscoring the seven-time winner in races by 33 to 19.

“Lewis is 1-4 behind Russell in this year’s qualifying head-to-head, which he [Hamilton] credits to the setup. To me, that seems like an excuse. “It’s a glaring error for a seven-time world champion,” Rosberg told Sky Sports Deutschland.

What did George Russell say?

Interestingly, Russell stated at the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai that both cars were nearly identical, with Hamilton qualifying 18th for the race after modifying his setup following the Sprint.

“We were both heading in the same way. The differences were modest. “We made significant setup changes following the sprint, but in the same direction,” Russell stated.

Rosberg believes Hamilton’s status within the Mercedes team, where he won six world championships, is dwindling ahead of his move to Ferrari in 2025.

“Now, he’s only half of the Mercedes family,” Rosberg added. “At some point, Toto Wolff might stop sharing the data with him.”

Given his impending transfer to Mercedes’ rivals Ferrari, Hamilton may be excluded from critical decisions and updates regarding the 2025 car, giving him insider information that he might pass on to the Italian team when he arrives in Maranello.

Despite this, Hamilton’s recent second-place finish in the sprint event demonstrated his ability, drawing parallels with Fernando Alonso’s stunning performance in damp conditions in Shanghai.