Mercedes F1 debut in 2020 was “key for my future.” Already a
Mercedes junior driver and for Williams, Russell was given the
call-up to the senior team at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, to race
in place of Lewis Hamilton, who had tested positive for
coronavirus. Russell qualified second to Bottas, but led the
majority of the race before late pit-stop drama where the team
incorrectly fitted Bottas’s tyres to Russell’s car meant the Briton
dropped back down the field. Bottas was then kept on the old hard
tyres he was running as Russell moved around the outside of Turn 7
to begin his charge back to challenge Racing Point’s Sergio Perez
for the win – before a slow puncture meant another pit-stop to deny
Russell a chance of the win. Russell was ultimately promoted to
Mercedes for the 2022 season, replacing Bottas who departed for
Alfa Romeo, but it was Russell’s debut for Mercedes he feels held
the key to his future. “If somebody’s only watched my last few
races in F1, and then they were told to watch that Bahrain race,
they’d think I’ve got the worst luck in the world!” Russell told F1
after his recent breakdown from the lead in Canada, and the
controversial Monaco penalty. “I think this overtake was key for my
future with Mercedes. “Even though it wasn’t built up to be a
head-to-head of Valtteri versus myself, everybody knew that I was
gunning to try and take over his seat. “When I saw the opportunity
to make the pass on him around the outside, I took it. “It felt
awesome at the time, but it was a race where we could have
comfortably been stood on the top step. “We led the whole race
until the Safety Car, wrong tyres, puncture… hence the emotions
thereafter. “This was my 37th race in F1, and obviously my first
with Mercedes, it was really mixed emotions, because I knew what I
was capable of, I always believed in myself, and I always felt that
when I had the car beneath me, I’d be able to deliver. “I jumped in
this car, was leading the whole race, could have won the race, but
I think with how things panned out, it gave me the opportunity to
fight through the pack, have that battle with Valtteri, and it’s
what led me to this, being stood here today. All for a reason!”