Going into the race this weekend at Bahrain, no one would’ve guessed that George Russell would be the top contender for a podium finish. Russell is getting an opportunity of a lifetime as he gears up to drive for Mercedes AMG this weekend.

Mercedes announced that Lewis Hamilton tested positive for the fatal COVID-19 bug and was in isolation, rendering him indisposed for this weekend’s race. There were few names that were considered for replacing the 7-time World Champion.

However, George Russell’s world turned upside down when Mercedes announced that he was the chosen one. Mercedes struck a deal with Williams to loan Russell for this weekend as Williams’ reserve driver looks to take Russell’s place.

Russell had his driver’s seat check-in on Thursday. While he was sitting in the seat, he was introduced to Mercedes’ DAS innovation. Dual Axis Steering is a device that changes the alignment of the front wheels. Russell intriguingly asked, “So this is DAS?”

Why Mercedes F1 Chose George Russell as Lewis Hamilton’s Replacement

George Russell has the chance to prove himself

George Russell has impressed everyone by driving the Williams to the edge. He has out-qualified his teammate every single time and managed to catapult them into Qualifying 2 a number of times this season.

He came tantalizingly close to his first points finish at Imola GP; however, a trivial error sent him into the wall. Finally, the Briton has the chance to prove himself.  He will have the best chance of his career to score a Formula 1 point driving for the fastest car on the grid.

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However, there’s much more at stake for George Russell. Reports suggest, “But it’s about more than that. He wants to prove he deserves to be promoted to the world champion team full-time in the future.”

The circuit for this weekend is new, and everyone has to come to terms with it during the practice session. The circuit also has long straights. These points are of great advantage to Russell and Mercedes.

Russell will look forward to beating Bottas either in qualifying or the race. He would want to be within a few tenths of Bottas all weekend at the least. A podium or a race win could be the icing on the cake. This race will certainly prove to be career-defining for George Russell.