After a week’s break, Formula 1 fans are ready to rejoice at the return of racing, this time in France. The spotlight is on the front runners and especially Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes. Although he has not won a race, he has been on the podium three times in a row now.

Meanwhile, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has confirmed that Formula E driver Nyck de Vries will take Hamilton’s place during the FP1 session. This comes as a result of the new rule, which states that teams are required to place a ‘rookie driver’ in at least two free practice sessions.

De Vries is currently driving for the Silver Arrows in Formula E. The Dutchman has been a hot prospect in the F1 circle after winning the F2 championship in 2019. However, opportunities have been hard to come by.

But when was the last time someone replaced Hamilton in Mercedes? Well, it is none other than his current teammate George Russell, who took his place back in 2020. The former William’s man has been impressive ever since his debut in 2019. He got a taste of the car replacing the seven-time world champion in the 2020 Bahrain GP.

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Hamilton did not take part because of COVID-19. Russell, meanwhile, grabbed the opportunity as he finished P2 in qualifying. He got off to a strong start as he led the race, but an error from the Mercedes crew towards the end of the race meant he only finished P9. The result disappointed him but achieved his first points in F1 in Bahrain.

Lewis Hamilton heaps praise on George Russell

Russell finally arrived at Mercedes this season and has been consistent. The Briton has finished outside the top 5 just once when he was forced to retire in Silverstone. Fans and pundits have praised his performances despite the W-13 struggling to match the front-runners.

He has arguably even outperformed Hamilton in the same car so far. There are, however, no intra team battles and Hamilton himself has stated that the environment around the team is positive. He also heaped praise on Russell’s potential in Formula 1.

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“George has been super positive… had a positive impact on the work environment. It’s generally been a real pleasure to work with him and it’s been great to see his success. He’s done such a great job, got great points for the team and he’s going to continue to improve, he’s going to continue to improve for a long time,” he said.

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Mercedes are yet to win this season, but the Paul Ricard circuit could prove to be a great opportunity. The track has suited them in the past and is like Silverstone. Do you think either Russell or Hamilton stand a chance in France?