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NIKITA MAZEPIN has apologised after posting a video of himself groping a girl in the back of a car. It was announced last week that the Russian would be joining Haas for the 2021 Formula 1 season. But there have already been calls from fans to sack the 21-year-old, after he posted the disturbing video […] More
MERCEDES chief Toto Wolff was giving nothing away when quizzed on George Russell’s long-term future with the team. The young Brit, 22, stepped into Lewis Hamilton’s shoes in Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix. Russell, who is on loan to Williams for the season, looked certain to win on his Mercedes debut before the team ruined his […] More
MICK SCHUMACHER’S uncle Ralf has hit out at ‘constant comparisons’ between the young driver and his legendary dad Michael. The elder German, 51, won seven Championships during a glittering career in Formula 1. And with his son Mick, 21, having agreed to enter F1 with Haas next season, the obvious comparisons have already started. But […] More
NIKITA MAZEPIN has apologised after posting a video of himself groping a girl in the back of a car. It was announced last week that the Russian would be joining Haas for the 2021 Formula 1 season. But there have already been calls from fans to sack the 21-year-old, after he posted the disturbing video […] More
VALTTERI BOTTAS has deleted all mention of Mercedes from his Instagram bio in a huge hint he could be dropped for George Russell. British star Russell, 22, has spent most of the 2020 season on loan at Williams from Mercedes. But he was recalled by boss Toto Wolff for the Sakhir GP after Hamilton missed […] More
LEWIS HAMILTON has revealed he’s endured the ‘hardest week in some time’ after testing positive for coronavirus. The seven-time F1 world champion, 35, missed the Sakhir GP after being hit hard by the virus. Hamilton has now opened up on his horror week and revealed he hopes to be fit and well for the final […] More
VALTTERI BOTTAS admits George Russell’s excellent performances during the Sakhir GP weekend could have made himself look like ‘a complete c***’.
Russell jumped into Lewis Hamilton’s car and, with only two days of cramming, was able to get up to speed with its complicated systems.
Bottas says Russell’s amazing Sakhir GP made him look like ‘complete c***’Credit: Splash News
The Brit was so at home, despite being too big for Hamilton’s bespoke cockpit, that he topped both Friday practice sessions and only just missed out on pole.
During the race, he beat Bottas at the start and pulled off an excellent overtake at the restart to clinch the driver of the day title on his Mercedes debut.
Russell only failed to win due to what Mercedes boss Toto Wolff called a ‘colossal f*** up’.
It has raised questions as to whether Bottas should keep his seat for 2021, despite having signed a new deal in the summer.
But the Finn says while outsiders might start to question him, he has the full backing of his Mercedes bosses.
He said: “If you don’t know things, I might have looked like a complete c***, a fool, so that’s not nice.
“But the people who know, they know how the performance [was] and how the end result could have been.
“It was a pretty bad race for me from that side and it will be very easy for people to say that a new guy comes in and beats the guy who has been in the team a few years, so it was not ideal.
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“He obviously did a mistake-free race, but I still knew there would be everything to play for.
“The race was not finished when we had the thing with the pit stops, which changed everything.
“I managed to go a bit longer on the medium tyre and that would have opened up opportunities for me.
“I was catching him.”
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff calls the mistakes that cost George Russell victory in the Sakhir Grand Prix a ‘colossal f*** up’ live on Sky Sports More
LEWIS HAMILTON faces a race against time to be declared fit to compete in this weekend’s Abu Dhabi GP.
The world champion missed last week’s Sakhir GP after testing positive for Covid-19 and was forced to spend 10 days in isolation.
Lewis Hamilton remains a doubt for the Abu Dhabi Grand PrixCredit: AFP
The 35-year-old was replaced by George Russell, who will again fill in should Hamilton fail to test negative.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who swore live on Sky Sports, had initially declared that Hamilton was “not great” as he suffered from the symptoms of the disease.
However, on Sunday night the Austrian said Hamilton had made a “big step” in his coronavirus recovery.
Wolff said: “We need to see how well Lewis recovers, that’s the most important, that he’s well.
“He said it’s a bit better on Sunday, he feels he’s made a big step, and if the test is negative then it’s his car and then he will for sure drive a brilliant race.
“And if the test in Abu Dhabi is [positive] then George is in the car.”
Hamilton’s 10-day isolation period ends on Thursday but he must also test negative before being allowed to leave Bahrain and travel to Abu Dhabi.
However, there are added complications that we reported last week as the Yas Island circuit in Abu Dhabi is set to be placed into strict lockdown.
George Russell is ready to step in for Lewis Hamilton once againCredit: Getty Images – Getty
It is understood that Merc are willing to wait until Thursday before making a decision on whether they would wait for Hamilton.
FIA rules mean that in theory he could arrive in time for Saturday evening’s qualifying, but even then, he would be subjected to government approval.
FIA Race Director, Michael Masi said: “It’s very much a decision for the Bahraini health authorities to determine if Lewis is fit and complies with their regulations, and then further for the Abu Dhabi authorities to determine their criteria.
“It’s effectively two government entities that need to determine entry criteria.
“If he meets the entry criteria of the respective governments and then further complies with the testing protocol from an FIA perspective, in being tested negative prior to entering the paddock, then there’s no problems from our perspective”,
“As long as the driver participates in a practice session, or qualifying, they’re permitted to race, … they couldn’t just turn up and race, as their only thing, they would have to do one of the practice sessions, be it free practice or qualifying practice beforehand.”
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff calls the mistakes that cost George Russell victory in the Sakhir Grand Prix a ‘colossal f*** up’ live on Sky Sports More
