Silverstone "the perfect place" for Mercedes to confirm Russell - Brundle

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Silverstone "the perfect place" for Mercedes to confirm Russell - Brundle

Williams driver expected to replace Valtteri Bottas for 2022

Ian Parkes

Saturday 10 July 2021 08:00

Martin Brundle believes the British Grand Prix would serve as "the perfect place" for George Russell to be confirmed as a Mercedes driver for next season.

After Lewis Hamilton recently signed a two-year extension with Mercedes through to the end of 2023, the second seat is now a straight fight between Russell and Valtteri Bottas.

The belief is Russell will get the nod after serving a three-year apprenticeship with Williams, leaving Bottas to potentially do a swap and return to the team where he began his F1 career.

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Assessing the situation with the race at Silverstone fast approaching, Brundle told Sky Sports F1: “It wouldn’t surprise me if George got the drive next year alongside Lewis at Mercedes.

“Whether it’ll be announced at Silverstone, if they’re going to do it, why not? It would be the perfect place.”

Bottas not a driver to dominate F1

Despite Hamilton's new deal, Brundle feels Mercedes has to plan for the future, and the former F1 driver feels that means Russell and not Bottas, who has failed to match his seven-time title-winning team-mate in the standings.

“If you were running Mercedes you’d ask 'Is Valtteri Bottas our man to win the world championship when Lewis inevitably retires two, three, four years into the future?” questioned Brundle. “You’d have to think no.

“I hate to say that I really admire Valtteri as he is a great driver and does an amazing job against the might of Lewis Hamilton.

"But you can’t honestly say if Lewis wasn’t there Valtteri would be dominating instead, can you?

“So I think Mercedes have to get a young gun in there that would emerge as their automatic new team leader sooner than later.”