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By AFP 
18h ago
ABU DHABI – Lewis Hamilton is back in training and ready to return with Mercedes at this weekend’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but only if he passes in shape and returns negative tests for Covid-19.
The seven-time world champion was absent from last week’s Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain, where his replacement and fellow Brit George Russell shone, despite a failed pitstop from Mercedes en route to ninth place, their first result. with points. .
The 35-year-old Hamilton is expected to have until Saturday morning at the latest to demonstrate his fitness, if necessary, and the team will continue with Russell in his car.
Russell was nominated Wednesday to be the Mercedes representative at a pre-event press conference at the Yas Marina circuit on Thursday.
However, nothing is certain heading into a race in which the champion team, for an unprecedented seven consecutive years, will seek redemption after its embarrassing tire errors last Sunday.
“We are heading into the final race in search of redemption after a disappointing race at Sakhir, where both George and Valtteri (Bottas) lost their chance to win,” said team boss Toto Wolff.
“The pit stop issue has uncovered an underlying problem with our intercom and we have taken steps, both technical and in the way we operate, to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.”
The team error occurred when both drivers entered on new tires and were sent on the wrong ones, and Bottas had to continue in a set he was willing to discard.
Lewis ‘getting better’
Russell had to pit again, but a late puncture undid him as he moved to a possible opening victory in exciting fashion.
Russell’s extraordinary drive led many observers to claim that he deserved another chance, but Wolff said the team will give Hamilton the time he needs to return after missing a race for the first time since his debut in 2007.
“There are still some questions about who will be in the car this weekend in Abu Dhabi,” Wolff said.
“Lewis’s condition is improving, but we won’t know until closer to the moment if he will be driving.
“We will do our best to get him to the car and we know that he is determined to return as soon as possible, but his health is our top priority, so we will see what the situation is and then we will make the decision.”
Hamilton has been in isolation in Bahrain since his positive test and his 10-day period ends on Thursday.
Earlier this week, he posted on social media that he was feeling “great” and was back in training.
Mercedes added that Russell’s nomination to appear for Mercedes at Thursday’s press conference was not a sign that he is ready to race again even though Williams, who released him last weekend, named reserve pilot Jack Aitken in his equivalent position.
To enter the UAE this weekend, Hamilton is expected to require four negative tests and approval from government officials, and then join his team in their usual ‘bubbles’ on Yas Island, which is blocked.
All traveling members of the F1 paddock arrived from Bahrain on special charter flights on Monday and have been kept in isolation under strict protocol.
Mercedes are expected to bounce back, particularly the unfortunate Bottas, after a near-parody of themselves last Sunday and will hope that a fit Hamilton can inspire a return to form and a final race win.
Rivals Red Bull and resurgent Racing Point will aim to be the party’s main destroyers: Max Verstappen seeks to erase his memory of a first-lap outing in Bahrain and Sergio Pérez, who claimed his first win, hoping to score his last race for Racing. Aim for another memorable run.
AFP
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