“I’m a Williams driver and I’ll be cheering my team on every step of the way” – George Russell has finally landed his dream race for Mercedes, as he replaces Lewis Hamilton for Bahrain GP.
It’s been a hectic last few days in Formula 1, as we head to the season finale at Abu Dhabi. Firstly, it was the horrific crash Romain Grosjean endured at last weekend’s Bahrain GP. Then we saw Nikita Mazepin confirmed as a Haas driver yesterday. There are now reports coming in that Mick Schumacher will be unveiled today as his partner.
BREAKING: George Russell will drive for Mercedes in place of Lewis Hamilton at this weekend’s Sakhir Grand Prix
Jack Aitken steps up for Williams#SakhirGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/fGJdr22fLH
— Formula 1 (@F1) December 2, 2020
And after Lewis Hamilton tested positive for Covid-19, speculation was high as to who will replace him. The lottery has been won by George Russell, Mercedes bred, but a Williams driver currently. He has been super impressive, especially in qualifying, earning for himself the moniker “Mr. Saturday”. This weekend, he will drive the fastest-ever car in Formula 1 history.
“Firstly, I want to say a huge thank you to everybody at Williams for giving me this opportunity. I might be wearing a different race suit this weekend, but I’m a Williams driver and I’ll be cheering my team on every step of the way.”
“I see this as a great chance to learn from the best outfit on the grid right now and to come back as an improved driver, with even more energy and experience to help push Williams further up the grid. A big thank you also to Mercedes for putting their faith in me.”
“Obviously, nobody can replace Lewis, but I’ll give my all for the team in his absence from the moment I step in the car. Most importantly, I wish him a speedy recovery. I’m really looking forward to the opportunity and can’t wait to get out on track this week.”
Toto Wolff thanks “loyal partners” Williams
Mercedes team principal and Russell’s boss for the weekend Toto Wolff thanked Williams for their continued cooperation. Mercedes are the engine providers for the outfit and work together on a few strategic points. With Russell returning to Mercedes, the partnership has added a new layer to it.
“First and foremost, I wish to thank our loyal partners at Williams for their collaboration and open-mindedness in making it possible for George to race for Mercedes this weekend. The conversations with the team at Williams were positive and pragmatic, and those were the key factors in reaching an agreement.”
“It will not be a straightforward task for George to make the transition from the Williams to the W11, but he is race-ready and has a detailed understanding of the 2020 tyres and how they perform on this generation of cars. George has shown impressive form this year with Williams, playing an instrumental role in their climb up the grid, and I am optimistic that he will deliver a strong performance alongside Valtteri, who will be a demanding reference for him.”
