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George Russell will have the chance of a lifetime when he drives the world championship-winning Mercedes W11 at this weekend’s Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain, as a replacement for Lewis Hamilton, who tested positive for Covid-19.
Mercedes opened talks with Williams about the possibility of borrowing from the Briton, who has been backed by the Silver Arrows throughout his career, for the second race in Bahrain when it became clear that Hamilton was isolated and unable to drive.
READ MORE: When will he return and who will replace him? The key questions answered after Hamilton tested positive for Covid-19
They eventually came to a deal, with Williams releasing Russell to lead the Silver Arrows alongside Valtteri Bottas in the penultimate round.
Williams’ backup Jack Aitken will replace Russell at Williams, joining regular driver Nicholas Latifi.
“First of all, I want to thank everyone at Williams for giving me this opportunity. I may be wearing a different outfit this weekend, but I’m a Williams driver and will cheer on my team every step of the way.
“I see this as a great opportunity to learn from the best team on the grid right now and come back as an improved driver, with even more energy and experience to help propel Williams further up the grid. A big thank you also to Mercedes.” . for putting your faith in me.
“Obviously no one can replace Lewis, but I will give my all for the team in his absence from the moment he gets in the car. Most importantly, I wish him a speedy recovery. I am looking forward to the opportunity and I can’t wait to get out on the track this week. “
Russell has extensive experience driving for Mercedes, having completed six days of racing for the world champions since 2017. His most recent race was at the Abu Dhabi end-of-season test last year.
He made his F1 debut last year with Williams and has marked himself as a future star with a series of strong drives and impressive qualifying performances in a car from the lower half of the grid.
Russell has yet to score a point, but he has come close, finishing 11th once and 12th twice, and was also in the fight at Imola before crashing behind the Safety Car.
His qualifying performances have been particularly impressive, the 22-year-old being undefeated against his two teammates to date in 36 consecutive races.
Mercedes qualified Russell very well and had considered him for a spot on their team this year, only for Williams, then under a different management, to choose not to consider releasing him from his three-year contract.
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“Our long-term partnership and George’s affiliation with Mercedes is no secret, so I am delighted that George has this unique opportunity to join current constructors ‘champions Mercedes,” said Williams’ Acting Team Principal. , Simon Roberts.
“We have been working hard to ensure that an agreement can be reached with Mercedes that allows him this fantastic opportunity. George is still a Williams driver and we hope he returns fresh from this experience and we wish him a successful race this time.” Weekend.”
Russell would also be an option to stay in the car for the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi, in case Hamilton does not recover in time to return to racing.
