George Russell has insisted Lewis Hamilton is a "big threat" in this season's drivers' title fight, warning that Ferrari are "coming".
The seven-time world champion is on a remarkable run of form, having finished second, second and first in the last three races.
His victory in the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix marked a significant milestone for both Hamilton and Ferrari, as it ended Mercedes' winning streak this season.
Hamilton brought Mercedes' six-race winning run to an end in Spain and, after Monaco, moved into second in the drivers' standings, splitting the two Silver Arrows.
Ferrari's aggressive development strategy is already paying off, with an engine upgrade set to be introduced at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Given the criticism Hamilton has received in recent seasons, Russell is pleased to see his former team-mate back at the front and knows just how significant a threat the 41-year-old is.
Asked if Hamilton is a serious threat, Russell said: "Yeah, first, it was great to see Lewis back doing what he does best.
"I think that's also such an example of how challenging Formula 1 is because the cars are so complex, the tyres are so complex, the power units are complex – everything needs to click. And if one thing isn't clicking, you can't get the most out of yourself.
"People were writing him off last year, or even the year we were team-mates in '24: 'Is he too old? Is he this? Is he that?' Then he goes and has been smashing it for the last four or five races. It just shows that you don't forget how to drive overnight.
"You need yourself, your team, the setup, the understanding of the tyres – you need everything to click, and when it does, you fly. As you say, it's beautiful.
"That's where he is at the moment, and for sure he's a big threat. Ferrari are a huge threat. Kimi is still very much the driver out front and is performing incredibly and consistently, but Ferrari feel like they're coming, and Lewis is at the forefront of that."
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