(Motorsport news) Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has a big decision on his hands. As the weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps draws closer, the all important decision of who will partner Lewis Hamilton next year for the Mercedes team is a question that’s on everybody’s mind.
On one side is the safe option with 31 year old Valtteri Bottas who has executed his job as the 2nd driver for the Silver Arrows with perfection. On the other is the extremely talented but young George Russell, still only 23 and coming to an end of the three year loan from Mercedes to Williams. Very few drivers at the back of the Formula 1 grid have received as much media coverage as George Rusell and Toto Wolff has never hidden his desire to see the youngster in the Mercedes team. Moreover, Bottas has not been at his best this year, having already been forced to retire three times this year, which would further motivate Mercedes to finally let go of the veteran and bring some new blood in.
It’s fair to say that Bottas is an ambitious driver and has previously expressed his frustration of playing second fiddle to Hamilton. Why should he not want to compete? Both are in equally fast cars, with a tremendous wealth of experience and a Formula 1 career is a short one. The Flying Finn is justified in wanting to have a fair shot at the Drivers Championship but the problem lies in the fact that Mercedes WANT Hamilton to win. As their main driver, it is Hamilton who will always be given preference over the second driver and Bottas has always found that difficult to contend with.
By having George Russell in the team, it’s a perfect mix of experience with youth. Rusell would not challenge Hamilton on the track and be satisfied with the secondary role he is expected to perform. With Hamilton at 36, Russell will also prove to be a long term solution to Mercedes’ future and take over as the main driver when the seven time world champion finally calls it a day. More than the personal ambitions of the drivers, Wolff will look towards the future of the Mercedes team and undoubtedly, the ambition would be to win more Constructors Championships. The answer to that is neither Hamilton or Bottas, but George Russell and the time has never been better for him to learn from one of the greatest Formula 1 drivers of all time and carry on the Mercedes legacy into the future.
Also read: Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen set to lock horns again at the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix
