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Mercedes reveals moment it realised Russell’s potential
According to Mercedes Trackside Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin, the team realized George Russell’s potential when they first ran him in an F1 car during post-season Abu Dhabi tests. They observed his throttle control, ability to look after tires, understanding of what’s important, consistency, approach to starting, and ability to chip away without making mistakes. Despite spending almost two seasons at the back of the grid with Williams, Russell had an opportunity to impress when he replaced Lewis Hamilton at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix after Hamilton contracted Covid-19. Although a botched pit-stop and a late puncture prevented him from sealing his first race win on his Mercedes debut, Russell’s performance in Bahrain allowed Mercedes to understand his potential. Shovlin added that Russell did a great job, considering the little time he had to adapt to the team and the car, and that he continues to improve and get stronger.
Source: RacingNews 365
