MANAMA – Formula One champions Mercedes are not treating this weekend’s Sakhir Grand Prix like a shootout between team regular Valtteri Bottas and super-sub George Russell, team principal Toto Wolff said on Friday.
Russell, a 22-year-old who is in only his second season in Formula One, continues to be called as much as stand in for Lewis Hamilton after the seven-time world champion tested positive for COVID-19.
The highly-rated Briton, who has impressed at engine customer Williams, is seen as a talent for the future and tipped to one day drive for that main Mercedes team.
That has led to speculation that Russell’s temporary promotion, likely to continue into the season finale in Abu Dhabi if Hamilton doesn’t return, could be a method for Mercedes to judge him directly against Bottas for a seat in 2022.
“There is no shootout,” Wolff told reporters via video conference on Friday.
“If George does well, it's an indication that certain day he's going to be in a good car and hopefully race for victories and world championships.”
Bottas has won two races to Hamilton’s 11 this season but has pushed the Briton hard in qualifying.
The Finn is going to be from contract at Mercedes at the end of the coming year that could open a minumum of one seat at the world champions for 2022.
Hamilton, from contract after this year is yet to sign extra time. However, that's likely to be a formality.
Russell, who definitely are staying at Williams next year, did his chances of driving for that main Mercedes team in the future no harm on Friday when he topped both practice sessions.
However, Wolff said Mercedes wouldn’t decide its 2022 line up according to exactly that.
“We know that we race next year with Lewis and Valtteri,” said the Austrian.
“Where we are in 2022 is all going to depend how our very own season in 2021 is going to go and never by George's performance on the oval in Bahrain as well as on a season final in Abu Dhabi.
“We've total trust in Valtteri and loyalty as we have always had, and that's our position.”
