Russell made to wait but his chance will come

Having made his debut for Mercedes in 2020, it was inevitable that George Russell would come under the spotlight in the new season. Rumours over his future, along with that of current Mercedes man Valtteri Bottas, will continue to rumble on until either man puts pen to paper on a new contract.

While Bottas has started the new Formula One campaign in subdued fashion, a mid-season switch between the two men was always going to be unlikely. 2021 marches on following the most recent Grand Prix in Spain and it appears that Russell will have to stay patient for now.

Predictable Openings

There’s always an element of doubt ahead of any new F1 season but the current schedule hasn’t held too many surprises. Defending Drivers’ Champion Lewis Hamilton opened in convincing style with a win in Bahrain and, while Max Verstappen fought back in Italy, Hamilton pulled further ahead with victory at the Portuguese Grand Prix.

Those results have led to a familiar picture in the motor sports betting odds for the Drivers’ Championship as sourced by arabianbetting.com. Lewis Hamilton is way ahead of the chasing pack at a current top industry price of 1/2 while his closest challenger Max Verstappen is quoted at a general 2/1.

As the races continue, arabianbetting.com will update those odds and if Hamilton keeps winning they will undoubtedly shorten. News updates will appear for readers to digest and there will be sign up opportunities with welcome deals for those who want to proceed.

It’s all looking very comfortable for the defending champion but Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate isn’t enjoying such a bright start to the season.

Bottas in the Firing Line

Valtteri Bottas has produced two podium finishes in his opening three Grand Prix of the season but those two third placed rides sandwich a retirement in Italy. Two podium places would be enough for most drivers but it’s not a welcome return for a Mercedes team who are used to dominating the Constructors’ Championship.

The pressure is on as the season unfolds with Bottas desperately trying to gain points in Spain and beyond. With those results in mind, it’s no surprise that the gossip columns were suggesting a mid-season replacement in the shape of George Russell. Such a move would be a shock and a humiliation for the Finn and, while it looks unlikely, Bottas must improve.

Russell Rated

George Russell’s performances in the Williams would usually fall under the radar but, as he’s generally regarded as a Mercedes driver in waiting, he’s attracting huge interest.

Not all of those performances have been good and his high profile crash with Valtteri Bottas at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix drew headlines for its sense of irony. That retirement followed a 14th place in Bahrain and was followed by a 16th at the Portugal GP. Russell isn’t exactly causing any shockwaves but he’s not likely to challenge the leaders in his current car.

Meanwhile, another British driver is quietly going about his business and keeping Valtteri Bottas in fourth place in the standings. Lando Norris has yet to finish outside of the top five in the first three races of the new season.

The suggestion that Bottas be removed from the Mercedes team was always going to be premature. As long as Lewis Hamilton keeps pulling away at the top of the drivers’ standings, the Germans will be happy enough but only if Bottas contributes enough points to the Constructors’ race.

The next few Grand Prix may, however, be crucial. Bottas is a marked man and the Finn needs to start gaining points and winning races so that the Russell rumours can go away.

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