Swapping Bottas and George Russell in ’21 Would Be ‘an Interesting Situation’ – Toto Wolff
Follow Us
At the Sakhir Grand Prix, George Russell was in the form of his life in the Mercedes car. There were a couple of whispers that the British youngster could be in the Mercedes seat for good, sometime soon. However, team principal Toto Wolff insists that it won’t be in the 2021 season, as it won’t be practical.
The younger Briton is currently acting as a super-sub for COVID-afflicted Lewis Hamilton. At the Bahrain Oval, the 22-year-old outperformed new teammate Valtteri Bottas. All throughout the race, he looked like he was in for a surefire victory until a botched pitstop and a puncture ruined his chances.
Looking ahead into the future, Bottas already has a one-year contract extension and will be in the car in 2021. However, the Mercedes team is still negotiating a deal with Hamilton. Admittedly, it is expected that the two parties will continue their relationship.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Is George Russell a threat to Valtteri Bottas?
Following this race, the two drivers’ comparative performances have prompted a debate over their futures. In essence, should George Russell replace Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes and partner Lewis Hamilton? Speaking about this possibility, team principal Toto Wolff dismissed such a notion.
He insisted that Russell is a Williams driver, and his own line-up consists of Hamilton and Bottas.
Trending
Adrian Newey Hits Out at Climate Activist Lewis Hamilton’s Fuel Protest, Desperate to See V10 Engines Again
April 15, 2024 12:35 PM EDT
F1 Rumor: Carlos Sainz Offered 2-Year Deal for Mercedes by Toto Wolff
April 12, 2024 12:16 PM EDT
Daniel Ricciardo To Be Replaced by Liam Lawson After Miami, F1 Pundit Dishes Out Harsh Verdict After Australian’s “Amateur Mistake”
April 17, 2024 11:14 AM EDT
Lando Norris Spotted With Portuguese Supermodel in $700K+ Supercar
April 13, 2024 03:51 PM EDT
“I Was Quite Depressed”: Adrian Newey Makes Brutal Revelation as He Reveals Red Bull Heavily “Struggling”
April 15, 2024 02:38 PM EDT
Get instantly notified of the hottest F1 stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.
Follow Us
He said, “So I don’t see this as a realistic situation at that moment of time [2021].
“But I can understand that it would be an interesting situation, both in the team and maybe a bit of a wild ride for all of us.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
“Maybe we’ll have that in the future.”
It is worth noting that George Russell is a Mercedes junior and is currently on loan to Williams.
“He’s a Williams driver now and they can be proud of what he’s done today. And they will know that his lap times in a Williams are probably the benchmark.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
“And now we need to see what the future holds. I haven’t made up my mind now what that means for us.”
According to Wolff, he and the team had their future in mind when they recruited George Russell to fill in for Hamilton. In essence, this is an acid test for George Russell to see how he performs at the front.