Lewis Hamilton’s new Mercedes team-mate George Russell has race pace questioned by Red Bull

George Russell has joined the German team from Williams ahead of the 2022 season, replacing Valtteri Bottas.

George Russell file photo, Image credit: Twitter
By Amruth Kalidas | Feb 6, 2022 | 2 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

George Russell’s race pace has been questioned by influential Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko as the British driver prepares for his first season at Mercedes. The 23-year-old has joined the German team from Williams ahead of the 2022 season, replacing Valtteri Bottas. Russell is yet to take a Grand Prix win, and has just one podium in Formula 1. Marko, head of Red Bull’s driver development program, challenged Russell to live up to the confidence shown in him by Mercedes.

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GEORGE RUSSELL WILL BE UNDER IMMENSE PRESSURE

“Let’s see what Mr Russell will do at Mercedes and whether the praise he has received in advance is justified,” remarked Marko to Austrian outlet Autorevue. “I want to see that first.

“There’s no discussion in qualifying, he’s sensational there but if you look at his race speed, he wasn’t far ahead of [then Williams team-mate Nicholas] Latifi.”

Russell’s likely 2022 teammate Lewis Hamilton is yet to confirm that he will return to F1 next season. The seven-time world champion was left “disillusioned” by the contentious ending to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, when Max Verstappen was able to snatch both Grand Prix and Drivers’ Championship victory. Russell previously filled in for Hamilton, who had tested positive for Covid-19, at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, finishing ninth in the Mercedes.

LEWIS HAMILTON IS BACK

Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton broke his near two-month self-imposed exile on social media on Saturday (February 5). Hamilton had not posted anything across his social media pages since the controversial end to the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP.

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Incidentally, his last post before Saturday was after qualifying for the season-ending race came to a close. The Brit posted a picture of himself at the Grand Canyon with a simple six-word caption: “I’ve been gone. Now I’m back!”

That said, it is still unclear whether or not Hamilton will be at the grid for the 2022 season. As things stand, he is signed with the Mercedes F1 team for two more years.

However, talks of him walking away after the way the 2021 season ended have not died down. And while he returned to social media, he did not confirm his participation in the upcoming season.