'Russell vs Bottas'

[Panther_99FS]

Round 1: Russell

[Ferry_vO]

"Lewis, this is Toto. We really need to talk about your salary demands for 2021.."

[b52bob]

Poor Bottas, a lose-lose situation for him.

[Panther_99FS]

"Lewis, this is Toto. We really need to talk about your salary demands for 2021.."

Nah, Bottas is the one that should be worried.....
That being said, Bottas' performance does illustrate just great a driver Nico was....

[noddy]

Hopefully George will get his first points tomorrow.

[Panther_99FS]

Poor Bottas, a lose-lose situation for him.

Not really....Bottas is on even ground.
All he has to do is smash Russell....

Look at Red Bull....
Because Red Bull does a clear 1/2 driver unlike Mercedes (Look at the fierce Rosberg/Hamilton battles)...

Max's best opponent was Ricciardo - but when Red Bull favored Max, Daniel was gone....
And now Red Bull has problems bringing in a driver with speed that was anywhere close to Ricciardo's....

[Panther_99FS]

Round 2: Bottas

[Ferry_vO]

Nah, Bottas is the one that should be worried.....
That being said, Bottas' performance does illustrate just great a driver Nico was....

Valtteri has a contract for next year, unlike Lewis..

[Panther_99FS]

Valtteri has a contract for next year, unlike Lewis..

And Valtteri has 0 championships unlike Hamilton and Rosberg....And at least Rosberg did beat Lewis when they were team mates......
And Valtteri just BARELY beat Russell who has limited experience in the Petronas....

[huub vink]

But why did Mercedes/Petronas decide to give the seat of the absent Hamilton to Russell, instead of their official spare driver Stoffel Vandoorne?

There is no coincidence in F-1

[Motormouse]

But why did Mercedes/Petronas decide to give the seat of the absent Hamilton to Russell, instead of their official spare driver Stoffel Vandoorne?

There is no coincidence in F-1

Because Russell is under contract to Mercedes ( on loan to Williams ) and has more time under actual race conditions than Vandoorne maybe?

Ttfn

Pete

[huub vink]

Because Russell is under contract to Mercedes ( on loan to Williams ) and has more time under actual race conditions than Vandoorne maybe?

Ttfn

Pete

Although I really think George Russell is the better choice, but I was a bit surprised Mercedes did't go for their own test driver, who was actually doing pretty good in the Formula-E. Stoffel Vandoorne is the Mercedes test driver for the last two years. He has 3 years F1 racing experience as McLaren driver, and another additional 2 years as test driver for McLaren. As he is the Mercedes test driver you can expect he knows the team better than a driver who has never driven with you as you have parked at another team.

Only a month ago Toto Wolff said that George Russell's future was entirely in the hands of the Williams and the new British squad's management........ It seems to me that George Russell's future is now depending on whether Lewis Hamilton is willing to sign the contract offered to him or not.....

Cheers,
Huub

[Roxane-21]

Stoffel Vandoorne is the Mercedes test driver for the last two years. He has 3 years F1 racing experience as McLaren driver

Only 2 full-time years (2017 and 2018), plus one single race in 2016.

As he is the Mercedes test driver you can expect he knows the team better than a driver who has never driven with you as you have parked at another team.

Russell has been part of the Mercedes team as well for two years. He is under contract with them, and Mercedes is paying Williams to allow Russell getting racing experience at F1 level before putting him in their own car (expected in 2022). He drove the Mercedes in late 2019 during Pirelli testing sessions, whereas Vandoorne hasn't driven an actual F1 since 2018.

[Panther_99FS]

Start: Russell

[Panther_99FS]

Yes Toto, a "colossal....."