Johnny Herbert claims George Russell received Mercedes 'favouritism' over Lewis Hamilton

Former F1 driver Johnny Herbert has claimed that Mercedes showed "favouritism" to George Russell over Lewis Hamilton last season. 

Ahead of the 2024 campaign, Hamilton shocked the paddock by announcing that he would be leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari for 2025. 

The timing of the announcement came as a surprise, given the seven-time world champion still had 24 races to complete with the team he joined back in 2013. 

Hamilton's final season with Mercedes was a difficult one, despite victories having been claimed in the British and Belgian grands prix. 

He scored less points than Russell and suffered further defeats in his intra-team qualifying and race battles against his fellow Briton. 

Following Hamilton's exit and the arrival of Mercedes' teenage sensation Kimi Antonelli, Russell has become the leader of the Brackley-based team. 

However, Herbert believes the 27-year-old already took on that duty last year alongside Hamilton and was given preferential treatment by the German outfit.

"He showed it last year to be honest and I know there was, for me anyway, a lot more favouritism in the team towards George [Russell] because Lewis [Hamilton] was leaving," Herbert told CasinoApps. 

"Kimi [Antonelli] comes along and a lot of people are really excited to see what Antonelli will be able to do in the car, but of course he's another one who's still got to prove it.

"It's going to be interesting how he deals with a very confident George who cemented himself in the fabric of what Mercedes are."