Super-sub Russell sets the pace for practice on Mercedes’ debut as Hamilton’s substitute

George Russell of Great Britain driving the (63) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes W11 on the track during practice prior to the Sakhir F1 Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit on December 4, 2020 in Bahrain.

George Russell looked perfectly at home in Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes during Friday’s opening practice session for the Sakhir Grand Prix by going faster on his alternate debut for the seven-time Formula One champion.

The 22-year-old, who sat in Hamilton’s seat after his British compatriot tested positive for Covid-19, set a time of 54.546 seconds when Formula One for the first time circled the Circuit’s shortest outer track. Bahrain International that hosted last Sunday. race.

Russell led Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon, who completed the top three in their Red Bulls.

Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas only took fourth place and was 0.322 seconds behind the benchmark of his substitute teammate.

However, the Finn was suffering damage to his car.

“Valtteri broke his car early in the session,” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff told Sky Sports.

“He even stopped running.

“So we didn’t see Valtteri in the right car, but this is not to diminish George’s performance for the first time in the car, it’s good.

Behind the top four, Russian Daniil Kvyat was fifth ahead of his AlphaTauri teammate, Pierre Gasly.

Esteban Ocon was seventh for Renault ahead of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and his teammate Daniel Ricciardo.

Charles Leclerc in the other Ferrari completed the top 10.

Russell, who has the backing of Mercedes but had been assigned to engine customer Williams to learn how to drive for the past two seasons, was not the only driver to get used to a new environment.

Brazilian Pietro Fittipaldi makes his Formula 1 debut at Haas as a substitute for the injured Romain Grosjean.

Briton Jack Aitken, also a rookie, takes Russell’s place at Williams.

The pair leaned against the bottom of the time sheets.