Williams F1 driver Russell to drive for Mercedes in Bahrain test
Williams Formula 1 driver George Russell will drive for Mercedes in this week's two-day post-Bahrain Grand Prix test
Though Russell is a full-time Williams driver on what was announced as a "multi-year" deal starting this season, he was a Mercedes junior before that and remains closely watched by the title-winning team.
Russell will reprise his 2017 and '18 testing role with Mercedes when he gets behind the wheel of its current car on Wednesday.
The reigning Formula 2 champion will take over from Lewis Hamilton, who is scheduled to drive on Tuesday.
Fielding Russell means Mercedes will complete one of its mandatory 'rookie days' as the Briton only made his second grand prix start last weekend.
Two of each team's four test days need to be conducted by a driver who has not started more than two F1 races.
It means that if reserve driver Esteban Ocon is going to drive Mercedes' 2019 car during the season, he will either get one day at Barcelona next month or wait until Mercedes participates in Pirelli tyre testing.
On Monday, Renault confirmed its test driver Jack Aitken will take over from Daniel Ricciardo for day two of the test.
Williams has also revealed that Nicholas Latifi will get his first chance to drive for the team on Wednesday, after race drivers Russell and Robert Kubica split Tuesday's running between them.
The only unconfirmed part of the test line-up is Alfa Romeo's Tuesday driver.
It has already announced Mick Schumacher, son of seven-time F1 champion Michael, will drive on Wednesday after making his test debut the day before with Ferrari.
Bahrain F1 test line-up (Tuesday/Wednesday)
Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton/George Russell
Ferrari: Mick Schumacher/Sebastian Vettel
Red Bull: Max Verstappen/Dan Ticktum
Renault: Daniel Ricciardo/Jack Aitken
Haas: Romain Grosjean/Pietro Fittipaldi
McLaren: Carlos Sainz Jr/Lando Norris + Fernando Alonso/Sainz (Pirelli test car)
Racing Point: Lance Stroll/Sergio Perez
Alfa Romeo: TBC/Schumacher
Toro Rosso: Alex Albon both days + Daniil Kvyat (Pirelli test car)
Williams: George Russell, Robert Kubica/Nicholas Latifi
Be part of the Autosport community
Join the conversationShare Or Save This Story
The driver who can wreck F1's "super exciting" 2020 silly season
Red Bull's Verstappen now has basis for first F1 title challenge
Ferrari: Mick Schumacher a good candidate for seat in Formula 1
Russell: Mercedes locked in F1 "battle of fine margins"
Russell: Dirty air is causing F1 helmet turbulence problems
Why Mercedes’ F1 struggles are different this time
The short-term pain that hides a very real Williams improvement
2024 F1 Chinese GP sprint qualifying results: Norris takes pole
Williams may as well “go home” if spares situation changes its F1 approach, says Albon
The short-term pain that hides a very real Williams improvement
WEC Imola: Ye fastest to lead Ferrari 1-2 in practice
F1 teams and Pirelli had no warning of “painted” Shanghai track surface
Sainz will have to "survive with what we have" in F1 China sprint
The short-term pain that hides a very real Williams improvement
How a Shanghai to Sheffield journey paved the way for China’s F1 hero
Why F1 2026 worst case fears could be key to new rules success
How the F1 driver market situation sits for each team with 2025 openings
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments