Sir Lewis Hamilton has to all appearances confirmed his 'return' to Formula 1 after a lengthy public absence since the controversial end to last year's season finale in Abu Dhabi. Naturally, many speculated on the certainty of his F1 future.Former FIA Race Director Michael Masi's controversial fast-tracking of the lapped cars overtaking under safety car procedure on the penultimate lap set up an explosive last lap showdown between the two championship protagonists to decide the fate of the championship. Max Verstappen coupled his aggressive style and effective championship advantage to overtake Mercedes' Hamilton on the last lap, and clinch the title from the Brit's grasp.

The Tantalizing Prospect of A Certain George Russell

Mercedes' long-time junior driver and Belgian Grand Prix podium-sitter for Williams, George Russell, was finally confirmed as a full-time Mercedes Formula 1 driver last September after Valtteri Bottas departed the team to join Alfa Romeo as their lead driver.

Russell is hugely talented, rarely ever touched in performance terms by either Robert Kubica in 2019, or Nicholas Latifi in 2020 and 2021 alongside him at the dwindling Williams team.

Related: 10 Fast Facts About George RussellIt felt inevitable that a driver managed by Mercedes CEO and Team Principal Toto Wolff, and an all-round brilliant package both on and off track, would eventually get the call-up to the team that he's been so heavily integrated in for several years.

In fact, it won't be the first time he races for Mercedes in F1. Lewis Hamilton's absence from the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix after a positive COVID-19 test led Wolff to risk placing Russell in the car. Russell took the opportunity with vigor by beating then Mercedes counterpart Bottas, only failing to win the race due to a pit stop error and puncture.

How Confident Is Lewis Hamilton About Russell?

However incredible Russell is⁠—and be absolutely assured he is one of the greatest young talents in the series⁠—the fact remains that seven-time champion Hamilton is a mind-blowingly supreme racing driver.

Hamilton came only 1 point away from winning his first F1 drivers' championship in his rookie season! He clinched the title a year later and subsequently overcame Nico Rosberg's challenge during two of the three seasons the pairing spent together during the era of Mercedes domination.

Related: Mercedes Confirms Lewis Hamilton's Return for 2022 F1 Season

In 2022 each team is facing a steep learning curve to master the substantially different-in-philosophy cars created to the all-new technical regulations. Mercedes arguably has a driver advantage over their rivals. With a hugely fast and experienced driver on one side of the garage, and a hungry and determined young⁠—yet experienced⁠—driver ready to face whatever the situation throws his way on the other.

Russell's ambition teamed with his intelligent outlook on how to operate in F1 means he will definitely be looking to outsmart and outdrive Hamilton, but whether he can achieve that consistently would be a whole different matter.

What The 2022 F1 Season Holds For The 'Merc Boys'

Above anything else, Hamilton will go into 2022 with the upper hand solely due to knowing the team a lot better— whether that be the characteristics of certain procedures and personnel or simply having the knowledge of what impresses management in the most effective manner.

He was also naturally involved in the development of the new car, whereas Russell was certainly integrated but not to the same extent due to his Williams duties.

Whoever on their day is the quickest over a single lap and during a Grand Prix is possibly besides the point. What matters is whether Mercedes would allow success from both, perhaps fearing a Hamilton-Rosberg-esque conflict and wishing to replicate the productive Hamilton and Bottas partnership. Equal support and opportunity for both will determine both drivers' respective approaches and Hamilton's potential demands may in fact determine the team's approach to Russell.