Williams F1 Champion Reveals Why the Much-Hyped George Russell Could End Up Being Another Bottas at Mercedes

George Russell is undeniably one of the most hyped drivers in Formula One, which witnessed a massive spurt following his one-off Mercedes stint at Sakhir in 2020. The Briton almost had his first win only for his own team’s unexpected errors to sabotage his result.

Nevertheless, a year of patience and Russell is back at the Brackley outfit, this time as a full-time driver alongside a predominant Lewis Hamilton. But, the question remains, can Russell live up to the high-flying expectations of the entire racing fraternity?

Formula One F1 – Young Driver Test – Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – December 14, 2021 Mercedes’ George Russell during testing REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed

Well, former F1 driver, Jacques Villeneuve, is in a spot of bother. The Canadian, despite acknowledging that Russell is a valuable driver, feared that the Briton might fail to thrive under constant pressure. And his words do make a bit of sense.

Russell has spent all of his F1 career racing for an underwhelming Williams with little to no pressure. The Dorilton Capital-led outfit hardly ever found themselves challenging for the top 10. Hence, there was almost nil pressure from the team for Russell to perform. Instead, he was already punching above his weight which left Williams only feeling more grateful.

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Villeneuve admits Russell’s Mercedes F1 fear

As reported by Formula Passion, the 1997 world champion admitted that there is a significant chance of Russell ending up being another Valtteri Bottas.

“We don’t know George’s true value,” he told Gazzetta Dello Sport. “It’s true, he had a good race when he replaced Lewis in Bahrain. It was easy to make a good impression at Williams. But, the question remains what he will be able to do in a season with the pressure he has on a great team and having Hamilton as a teammate.

FILE PHOTO: Formula One F1 – Belgian Grand Prix – Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot, Belgium – September 1, 2019 Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Williams’ George Russell before the race REUTERS/Johanna Geron/File Photo

“He has talent. But, is he that of a champion? Or, will he be another Bottas capable only of doing some good races?” he concluded.

Overall, Russell is certainly looking ahead to what could be the most intense season of his F1 career. The Briton is now in the driver’s seat to battle for the championship and is not going to stop until he gets one. So, are Mercedes in for a tough season managing the two optimistic British teammates, Hamilton and Russell?

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