F1 | George Russell In At Mercedes, Jack Aitken To Williams

[Sasha Jednak]

Russell after first practice session: "If this car is F1 I was in F4 until now" (maybe not in words but in face expression and voice tone)

 

[TTM75]

Brilliant move from Mercedes. Now we can see how good Russell is. Beware Bottas you are not going to drive to easy victory in the next gp. (even you Valtteri are my countryman.)

 

[Mr Latte]

My answer to the previous poll

Meh, don't understand F1 & the point of having a reserve driver.

It was highlighted that having "race knowledge" of the 2020 rubber was one of the main considerations. GR was a good fit and a better option for sure but certainly not one I thought was going to be possible.

They obviously came to a workable $olution with Williams

Besides he already has, driven the Merc on F1 2020

 

[Appie Kuipers]

Brilliant move from Mercedes. Now we can see how good Russell is. Beware Bottas you are not going to drive to easy victory in the next gp. (even you Valtteri are my countryman.)

Don’t forget this “oval” is a Merc track

 

[Antony Snook]

I am Happy to see Russell in a good car. He should be mid pack with Albon and Norris. Botass will lead the team as Rusell tries to work with a separate set of people in Garage. He may not know the people well so it will be hard. He can get points but not a win. Its going to be a difficult weekend for him.
It will prove how mutch of the sucsess is down to Lewis and how much is the car and personnel in the garage. I think its more Car and personnel that makes the team dominate.

 

[rubaru]

They obviously came to a workable $olution with Williams

Next Season, quote from Crofty:
"...and now we see that Williams has installed their own version of DAS."

 

[Michel Bélisle]

I wonder if this turn of event will make Bottas uncomfortable?

It is one thing to be second to a 7-time World champion.

However, if Russell is faster than him, it will be a bad look for Bottas.

 

[Enagee]

Don’t forget this “oval” is a Merc track

You and Christian Horner give the self pity "that the Merc is the faster car" a break.
Hamilton is out the picture, George is yet to step in the car.
About time we start blaming other teams for not doing a better job.

 

[Badwheels]

Boo hiss. Nicolas Latifi deserved that seat. Hamilton is not sick, he just doesn't want to drive the rest of the season. It's a ploy to get a bigger contract.

 

[NDG]

I don't know what good it will bring for Mercedes to do this. They already won the Championship. A few "chance" points Russell can score for Williams can change the world for them while it will change nothing at Mercedes even if he wins this weekend. I'm not against it, rather I am sad for Williams, always under someone's thumb.

Probably a very good boost for George's confidence knowing no mexican can take him out of F1. And a very good warning for Valteri too. Maybe he knows Merc was pursuing Russell to replace him for 2021, only Williams declined to release him.

OFF TOPIC, but great moves from HAAS getting the rookies. I'd love to see these young blood battle this coming years. Honestly, brutally honest opinion... I think many drivers needs to go by now. Like they are there for nothing anymore... Kimi, Grosjean, Magnussen and even Perez. They had their chances, Kimi even a WC already. Let the new guys come in, just for the sport's sustainability feel of it.

 

[Dude27]

Good luck to Russell. I hope he will be able to show off his real talent... but a one time occasion is always tricky. So many criteria to make it work well and not FU the whole experience... George must be a bit stressed and joyful at the same time... from the worst car to the best... LOL.

 

[Dude27]

Boo hiss. Nicolas Latifi deserved that seat. Hamilton is not sick, he just doesn't want to drive the rest of the season. It's a ploy to get a bigger contract.

Latifi do not deserve anything...

 

[Red-5]

Boo hiss. Nicolas Latifi deserved that seat. Hamilton is not sick, he just doesn't want to drive the rest of the season. It's a ploy to get a bigger contract.

Latifi...?!?!

 

[CDwyer]

This is great news in everyway.
Except for Hamilton's contract talks if Russell performs well.

 

[Leonardo Chaves]

Right way to go, best driver available to them and the direct comparison and one that's in their sight for the future.

Vandoorne was an also ran who got "Albon'd" by Alonso.

 

[Sigwolf]

I don't understand the number of people that just assumed a reserve driver is the *only* driver a team can use as a replacement. As far as I knew, a reserve driver is just there as a stopgap to guarantee they have a warm body with a super license available if their are no other options. I don't think it was ever intended to prevent a team from looking for a driver that may be more familiar with current regulations and equipment.

Heck, it's already happened this year with Racing Point. They, along with McLaren, share reserve drivers with Mercedes. But they went with Hulkenberg over Vandoorne or Gutierrez due to his more recent F1 experience.

Mercedes is obviously considering bringing Russell to the factory team after his Williams contract expires after next season, and this provided an excellent opportunity to gauge his progress. Just filling the seat gains them nothing, while this move has the potential to give them valuable information for the future.

 

[muzikant]

A new fresh young gun, wish him all the luck

 

[Appie Kuipers]

You and Christian Horner give the self pity "that the Merc is the faster car" a break.
Hamilton is out the picture, George is yet to step in the car.
About time we start blaming other teams for not doing a better job.

It’s the faster car, you know it, everybody knows it, so what?
And when he can get it on the frontrow, it’s for sure.

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

Meh, don't understand F1 & the point of having a reserve driver.

You are a reserve, but not a replacement. In situations when drivers fall ill during a weekend, like Massa in Hungary 2017 then it's very handy to have a reserve driver, with a superlicense (*cough* Gutierrez *cough*) at the track. But when teams have more time, they don't need to use their reserve. Though, in 99.9% of the cases I would rather have them do that, than bring in some others. In fact, even though I've had the impression that "F1 teams seems to don't give a F about their contracted reserves", this seems to be wrong.

Heck, it's already happened this year with Racing Point. They, along with McLaren, share reserve drivers with Mercedes. But they went with Hulkenberg over Vandoorne or Gutierrez due to his more recent F1 experience.

Vandoorne & Gutierrez are not contracted reserves for tRacing Point or McLaren (that's from next season on, no?), but Mercedes allows both teams to choose from Mercedes' reserve pool if they need and want to.

However, looking at the last temporary replacements in F1.
2020:
Russell for Hamilton - Not a reserve, but a contracted Mercedes jr driver.
Aitken for Russell - Official reserve (and only Williams test/reserve with SL/points for SL)
Fittipaldi for Grosjean - Official reserve.
Hülkenberg for Perez - Not reserve. However, Gutierrez not allowed to race, Vandoorne doing FE races that weekend (and, not contracted to RP).
Hülkenberg for Stroll - Not reserve, but kinda reserve?

2017:
Button for Alonso - Official reserve (and even forced to as there was no way to not drive due to contract)
Giovinazzi for Wherlein - Ferrari driver, Leclerc was entered as Sauber reserve, also F2 clash involved)
Di Resta for Massa - Official reserve

2016:
Vandoorne for Alonso - Official reserve

2015:
Magnussen for Alonso - Official reserve

2014:
Rossi for Chilton - Moneyrelated, didn't happen, but official reserve
Rossi for Bianchi - Official reserve, but team folded.

2013:
Kovalainen for Räikkönen - Not reserve, Lotus had Valsecchi but didn't use him. Not last minute call.

2012:
d'Ambrosio for Grosjean - Official reserve. (Possibly underwhelmed, causing Kova in place of Valsecchi in 2013?)

2011:
de la Rosa for Perez - Not reserve, but neither was Gutierrez that year. de la Rosa had driven for the team in 2010, they had things ready for him, and he was there, with all equipment needed due to his McLaren reserve duties.

So, all in all. Over the last 10 seasons, we've had one clear instance of reserve being overlooked (Valsecchi in 2013). We've had two situations where the actual reserve(s) have not been used, but the team have chosen a driver who is contracted to the team/jr.team (Giovinazzi 2017 and Russell 2020).
And de la Rosa in 2011 which I'm not sure how to classify.

The rest have actually been reserve drivers getting the chance.
I'm surprised!

 

[Badwheels]

Latifi...?!?!

It's the car, right ? Give a bro a chance to get points.