Mercedes F1 Team announces George Russell as Lewis Hamilton replacement for Sakhir GP

Williams driver George Russell must be on cloud 9 after learning that he will be driving the world championship-winning Mercedes W11 in place of Lewis Hamilton. The opportunity presented itself for this weekend's Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain, after the newly-crowned world champion tested positive for Covid-19.

It is no secret that Russell is part of the Mercedes driver program. The team quickly came to an agreement with Williams about borrowing the British driver for next weekend's race, with Hamilton in isolation and unable to take the wheel.

Russell will be driving alongside Valtteri Bottas on Sunday, with both of them having a lot to prove. The young driver will be determined to show off what he can do with the fastest car on the grid at his disposal. A positive performance can cement his future in Formula One. Meanwhile, Bottas will also need to prove that he is indeed the best man to be driving alongside the now 7-time world champion. Much has been said about his inability to challenge his teammate like Nico Rosberg did.

Williams reserve Jack Aitken will also face an opportunity of a lifetime, as he takes over the seat vacated by Russell.

"Obviously, nobody can replace Lewis, but I'll give my all for the team in his absence from the moment I step in the car. Most importantly, I wish him a speedy recovery. I'm really looking forward to the opportunity and can't wait to get out on track this week," said Russell, in a statement shared by F1.

Russell will not exactly be a fish out of the water at Mercedes, having been backed by the team for most of his racing career. He has also had an opportunity to drive the Mercedes on several occasions in the past, most recently during last year's end-of-season Abu Dhabi test.

The Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain will give Russell the prime opportunity to score points, something that has proven elusive so far. Despite strong drives at the lower half of the grid, a combination of a weak overall package and bad luck has allowed the points to slip through his fingers on numerous opportunities.

If Hamilton does not recover in time for the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi, Russell might be able to have another go with Mercedes, provided his first weekend with them goes well. For now, F1 fans around the world are excited to see what he can do.