GEORGE RUSSELL gave a glimpse into life after Lewis Hamilton by topping the timesheets for practice in place of the Covid-struck world champ.
Hamilton is lying low in a Bahraini hotel room after testing positive and has been replaced by his countryman for the Sakhir GP.
And, despite wearing a size ten raceboot, rather than his usual size 11s, Russell quickly proved he is capable of filling Hamilton‘s shoes when he does eventually quit F1.
Hamilton has not yet signed a new deal beyond this season and Russell is putting himself in the shop window to become his full-time replacement.
Russell, 22, was quicker than Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate, Valtteri Bottas, in FP1, with the Finn in danger of being upstaged.
But Merc boss Toto Wolff said that weekend was not a ‘shoot-out’ between the two for a spot in the team.
He said: “You can’t call it a ‘shoot-out’ when it’s about one or two races. That doesn’t give you any meaningful data whatsoever.
“If George does well it’s an indication that one day he’s going to be in a good car and hopefully race for victories and championships.
“But that is far away. He knows that. He just needs to deliver a solid job and not make any mistakes.
“We know that we [will] race next year with Lewis and Valtteri. Where we are in 2022 is not going to depend on George’s performance on an oval in Bahrain and in Abu Dhabi.”
Meanwhile, Wolff says Hamilton is ‘not great’ as he self-isolates and misses this weekend’s race in Bahrain – the first F1 race he has missed since his debut in 2007.
Wolff added: “Lewis is not great. Covid-19 is something you mustn’t take lightly and he is in safe hands, that is the most important.
“But it is those early days that are always not so nice. Mild symptoms and then obviously, as you can imagine, a race driver out of his car and combine it with Covid, he would rather sit in the garage.”
Wolff also says that he does not know how Hamilton picked up Covid-19 – believed to be at a private engagement in Dubai.
But nonetheless says he has not breached any team protocols in making his own travel arrangements.
Let's get out there
pic.twitter.com/xnXET1Qm2L
— George Russell (@GeorgeRussell63) December 4, 2020
He added: “Lewis doesn’t need to have permission from us. He arrives when he wants and jumps out of an airplane if he wants to.
“He is a grown up man and contracting Covid is just unfortunate. He has been protecting himself and wearing a mask. These things happen.”
Hamilton’s positive test means that Wolff has also had to put their contract talks on ice.
But with time ticking down on Hamilton’s deal, which expires on December 31, both he and Wolff know they need to get the contract signed.
He said: “The timeline for the contract is being pushed back until he recovers.
“We know we need to get it done but the priority is getting him back on his feet and then we will meet or on Zoom and put pen to paper.”
