Lewis Hamilton ‘fuming’ with Mercedes’ decision to replace Bottas with Russell
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Mercedes are reportedly set to announce George Russell as Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate for 2022 – and the seven-time world champion is hardly pleased about it.
In a statement last night, Kimi Raikkonen – the 2007 world champion – declared he will retire from F1 at the end of the current season, freeing up a seat at Alfa Romeo which Toto Wolff is reportedly keen to secure for Valtteri Bottas as compensation for his cooperation.
Hamilton publicly backed Bottas and pushed for the Finn to remain at the team next season but Mercedes team principal Wolff has reportedly decided to hand the seat to Russell – which has left the seven-time world champion fuming, according to the MailOnline.
A source told the MailOnline: “Toto has made up his mind to bring in George. Lewis has been told and he’s not happy.
“He wanted Valtteri as a team-mate because he is compliant and not quite quick enough to trouble him, but that’s not what is happening.
“You could say, as far as Lewis is concerned, it’s gone down like a lead balloon.”
The 36-year-old has been a vocal supporter of his current team-mate, and has previously labelled him the "best team-mate I have ever had."
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Meanwhile, young prospect Russell is a more unknown entity. The 23-year-old is blisteringly quick – proven by his remarkable lap to qualify in P2 in a Williams for the aborted Belgian Grand Prix – and is also incredibly popular with the British crowd.
At Silverstone, the cheer Russell received upon dragging his Williams into Q3 was arguably louder than the one that greeted Hamilton after he claimed pole position at the British Grand Prix.
A move to Mercedes has been in the pipeline for quite some time for Russell, who has been a junior driver for the constructor giants and has been viewed as one of the next big things in the sport.
Russell impressively replaced Hamilton in the Mercedes hotseat when the world champion contracted Covid, and he would have won the Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain last season only for a tyre mix-up and puncture to shatter his dreams.
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He was in line for another crack at the final race in Abu Dhabi but Hamilton recovered in time to reclaim his Mercedes seat.
Although the Belgian Grand Prix was aborted after just two laps was shambolic from many perspectives, it meant that Russell earned a maiden podium in his blossoming F1 career – one place ahead of Hamilton having finished a remarkable second in qualifying.
Russell’s promotion alongside Hamilton is believed to be confirmed in the next week, with Mercedes opting for a potentially explosive all-British lineup for 2022.
- Kimi Raikkonen
- Lewis Hamilton
- Mercedes
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