George Russell is undeniably one of the most hyped drivers in Formula One. He witnessed a massive spurt in popularity following his one-off Mercedes stint at Sakhir in 2020. The Briton almost had his first win, only for his own team’s unexpected errors to sabotage his result.

Nevertheless, a year of patience and Russell is back at the Brackley outfit, this time as a full-time driver alongside an ever-dominant Lewis Hamilton. But, the question remains, can Russell live up to the high-flying expectations of the entire racing fraternity?

Well, former F1 driver, Jacques Villeneuve, is in a spot of bother. The Canadian, despite acknowledging that Russell is a valuable driver, feared that the Briton might fail to thrive under constant pressure.

Russell has spent all of his F1 career racing for an underwhelming Williams team with little to no pressure. The Dorilton Capital-led outfit hardly ever found themselves challenging for the top 10. Hence, there was almost nil pressure from the team for Russell to perform. Instead, he was already punching above his weight, which left Williams only feeling more grateful.

Watch Story: From Cristiano Ronaldo to Shaquille O’Neal: When Other Athletes Mingled With F1 Stars

Villeneuve admits Russell’s Mercedes F1 fear

As reported by Formula Passion, the 1997 world champion admitted that there is a significant chance of Russell ending up being another Valtteri Bottas.

“We don’t know George’s true value,” he told Gazzetta Dello Sport. “It’s true, he had a good race when he replaced Lewis in Bahrain. It was easy to make a good impression at Williams. But, the question remains what he will be able to do in a season with the pressure he has on a great team and having Hamilton as a teammate.

“He has talent. But, is he that of a champion? Or, will he be another Bottas capable only of doing some good races?” he concluded.

Overall, Russell is certainly looking ahead to what could be the most intense season of his F1 career. The Briton is now in the driver’s seat to battle for the championship and is not going to stop until he gets one. So, are Mercedes in for a tough season managing the two optimistic British teammates, Hamilton and Russell?

Read More: How Big Is the F1 Fuel Tank?