• • Valtteri Bottas is under pressure to perform in the Mercedes F1 team.
• • Rumor has it that the team could replace him with George Russell before the end of the season.
• • Russell did an admirable performance on a subpar Williams.
• • You can find more car stories at Wheels24
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has admitted that he would be “surprised” if Mercedes dropped Valtteri Bottas and replaced him with George Russell before the end of the season. The Daily Mail reported on Tuesday that Bottas, who is 37 points behind teammate Lewis Hamilton after just three laps, could be relieved of his duties by the Silver Arrows.
The 31-year-old Finn started in his fifth season with the world champion at the Grand Prix of Portugal last weekend in pole position, but fell back to third place. Russell, 23, is waiting in the wings after being named a replacement for a Covid-struck Hamilton at the Sakhir GP in December. Without a bad Mercedes pit stop and a late flat tire, he would have won and beaten Bottas.
Russell, a junior driver for the Silver Arrows, continues to impress at Williams and qualified 11th on his uncompetitive machinery at Portimao.
Our best Saturday and one of our toughest Sundays. When the car is in the window, things move quickly. If it isn’t, it’s a handful. But we know where this sensitivity lies, and as we have proven in Quali, the potential is there. We won’t stop pushing. ?? pic.twitter.com/qyHrs51y11
– George Russell (@ GeorgeRussell63) May 4, 2021
Don’t take over the bueprint
But Red Bull boss Horner, whose team has a track record of driver swaps in the off-season, doesn’t think Mercedes will adopt their blueprint.
Speaking to the PA news agency, Horner said: “Valtteri has shown that he can drive the car very quickly. Circumstances will always happen. Let’s see how things go, but Valtteri has done a great job for Mercedes over the past few years made.” I would be surprised if they switched between Valtteri and George around the middle of the season. “
READ: The wingman strikes back – Bottas ousts Hamilton for the Portuguese Grand Prix pole
It could well be in Horner’s interest that Bottas stays with Mercedes in view of his struggles. Red Bull is just 18 points behind the Silver Arrows in the constructors’ championship, while Max Verstappen is just eight points behind Hamilton ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix this week.
According to Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, Bottas, who was canceled after a meeting with Russell in Imola, has the full support of the conquering team on the starting grid.
Wolff said: “Valtteri will be in tip-top shape. Given where he came from to follow Imola which was a write-off, he took pole position in Portugal and had a solid race. We’re going to push him hard and continue to support. ” him and see what he can do in Barcelona. “
The post Christian Horner: “I would be surprised if Mercedes would change drivers in the off-season.” first appeared on monter-une-startup.
