Russell’s turn to show Mercedes boss what he can do in F1

By JEROME PUGMIRE
AP Auto Racing Writer

Eight years after emailing Toto Wolff as an audacious teenager keen to showcase his driving talent George Russell has a chance to show the head of the Mercedes F1 team exactly what he can do on the track. Russell’s opportunity comes next Sunday when the Formula One season begins in Bahrain. That is where Russell drove brilliantly as a one-off replacement for Lewis Hamilton in late 2020. They are now teammates after Russell replaced Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes and it’s his turn to learn from a multiple world champion. The 24-year-old Russell calls it “incredibly inspiring and motivating for me to try and reach the heights that Lewis has achieved.”