According to the latest reports, Mercedes’ 2021 driver lineup may consist of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. Rumors suggest the Brackley outfit is looking towards its junior program to partner the reigning World Champion next season. Despite being a rumor, Mercedes opting for Russell over the experienced Valtteri Bottas seems too good to be true.
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Mercedes banking on Russell and Hamilton?
According to Motorsport Italy, it appears Russell’s on his way to the German team – beating the likes of Sebastian Vettel and Bottas to the seat. The Silver Arrows signing Seb was always going to be a long shot. Despite his highly marketable German traits, Mercedes simply cannot run a team with two alpha drivers.
With a competitive car and one of the best drivers in F1, Mercedes don’t need to risk upsetting the balance of the team. However, backing Russell ahead of Bottas is a questionable move. This isn’t to say Russell’s a bad driver but Bottas perfectly fits the German team’s current needs.
The Finn has lots of experience, is a proven race winner, and knows the team’s expectations. He’s a cool head that can deliver under pressure and prioritize the team’s needs if required. Bottas isn’t a number two driver per se but someone who’s just a solid all-rounder that helps the team wrap up Constructors’ Championships.
Credit where it’s due, the Finn finished a commendable second in the Drivers’ Championship last year. Granted, he never dominated Lewis Hamilton but that requires some superhuman ability. A task that not many drivers have accomplished as of yet. Nevertheless, 2019 was Bottas’ best year to date.
With the regulations staying the same for another season, extreme changes seem unnecessary but could be a gamble that pays off. F1 is slowly turning towards youth over experience and it has done more good than harm. Case in point, Charles Leclerc.
The Monegasque spent only 1 year at Sauber before Ferrari promoted him to the Scuderia. He’s performed exceedingly well and is now the de facto team leader at the iconic Italian team.
Russell is undoubtedly a talented young driver and is probably more than ready to drive for Mercedes. Hamilton can’t carry on forever and this could be Mercedes finally giving its young drivers a chance to shine.
