• Russell, 27, was team-mates with Hamilton, 40, for three seasons at Mercedes 
• Lewis will now partner Charles Leclerc in the Brit’s first season at Ferrari 
• Hamilton chose the Prancing Horse after Mercedes fell behind Red Bull 

George Russell has predicted how he thinks Lewis Hamilton will fare against Charles Leclerc following the seven-time world champion’s move to Ferrari.

Russell, 27, was team-mates with Hamilton, 40, for three seasons at Mercedes before the latter’s move to Maranello.

The younger of the two British drivers had his say about how Hamilton’s battle with Leclerc could unfold ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix next Sunday.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Sport, Russell said: ‘Charles is a fantastic driver, no doubt about that, so I’m going to be really intrigued to see how that pans out because they’re two amazing drivers’.

‘He’s obviously entering an Italian team where Charles has been very much the number one for the past six years.

‘It’s quite an interesting dynamic, but I think it’ll be close between the two of them.’

Hamilton chose to swap the Silver Arrows for the Prancing Horse after Mercedes fell behind Red Bull when it came to having the fastest car on the grid.

After winning four World Drivers’ Championships between 2017 and 2020, Hamilton watched Dutch rival Max Verstappen achieve the same with Red Bull from 2021 to 2024.

Hamilton’s departure opened up the number one seat for Russell at Mercedes and will see him joined by rookie driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

Monegasque driver Leclerc will seek to build on his three wins from last season as he chases a maiden drivers’ title.

The 27-year-old will face stiff competition in the form of Hamilton – with both men seeking to become the first Ferrari driver to win a championship since Kimi Raikkonen in 2007.

The manufacturer are also hopeful of lifting their first Constructors’ World Championship since 2008, when Raikkonen was partnered by Felipe Massa.

That season marked Hamilton’s first world title, after he stole the crown from Massa’s grasp on the last lap of the final race of the season at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Following a move to Italy, Hamilton will hope that he can become the first-ever driver to win eight Drivers’ Championships.