Sunday’s Sakhir Grand Prix wasn’t alleged to be a showdown between Valtteri Bottas and George Russell … a minimum of that is what Mercedes’ workforce principal Toto Wolff kept saying before the race.

However whatever the intentions, a showdown rapidly grew to become the fact. After qualifying 0.026s off Bottas, Russell took the higher within the race and, had it not been for two doses of bad luck, would have gained his first grand prix as a Mercedes driver at his first try.

In doing so, he put himself in the midst of the dialog about Mercedes’ future driver line-up and raised questions over Bottas’ place on the workforce.

One race end result may very well be deceptive for quite a few causes — Bottas has urged individuals to view the bigger picture — however that dialog and people questions are unlikely to go away.

If Lewis Hamilton fails to check unfavourable for COVID-19 in time for this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Russell will get one other likelihood to point out what he can do and opinions might change or be strengthened.

However on the premise of what we noticed in Bahrain, it is arduous to think about a state of affairs the place Russell doesn’t find yourself driving for the world champions in 2022 and there are already ideas he may very well be a greater choice than Bottas as early as 2021.

What made Russell’s efficiency so good?

Essentially the most proficient individuals in life have a knack of creating highly-skilled jobs look simple. The much less you see the battle, the extra probably you are witnessing supreme expertise.

As was the case with Russell on the Sakhir Grand Prix.

His 6’2″ body might have seemed uncomfortable in a automobile designed for somebody who’s 5’9″ or shorter, but it surely didn’t translate in his driving. The one time he seemed barely out of his depth was within the ultimate apply session when he experimented with the setup and his driving fashion, however when it mattered in qualifying he was again within the zone.

Switching from one F1 automobile to a different is just not simple. Apart from the bodily modifications, resembling cockpit dimension and swap placement on the steering wheel (Russell hit the impartial button by chance at one level throughout qualifying), there may be additionally the way in which the automobile drives.

The Mercedes has extra downforce and higher cornering capabilities than the Williams Russell drove on the earlier 16 races this 12 months, and constructing sufficient confidence to extract that efficiency whereas coping with the pressures of a race weekend is not any imply feat.

“Most likely the factor that was least shocking was his pace in qualifying, as a result of in case you take a look at his what he is been doing within the Williams clearly he is aware of how you can drive a automobile rapidly and is aware of how you can get essentially the most out of it,” Mercedes’ chief engineer Andrew Shovlin stated. “In order that was not a whole shock to me and was what we have been hoping to see and happy that we did see.

“How he handles the stress is a more durable factor to foretell, however that was actually spectacular truly. He actually attacked the session and the danger for him was that it was the one alternative to point out what you are able to do in one of the best automobile and it is really easy to get it unsuitable and it is really easy to create lasting impressions, however clearly he wasn’t interested by that for a second.

“He was assured, he was disciplined and was methodical in how approached every run. At instances we have been beneath stress with each vehicles within the early a part of it and he stored calm and that was good to see. However he is clearly an excellent racing driver.”

Within the race, Russell’s confidence was clear to see and he aced the begin to get forward of Bottas. In principle, he ought to have been at a drawback leaping into a brand new automobile with a unique beginning process and a clutch paddle formed to Hamilton’s fingers, however after practising all through the weekend on a specially-made rig that travels the world in Hamilton’s driver room, he made a near-perfect getaway.

As soon as Russell was forward, Bottas had no reply within the first stint and as a substitute began to mould his race technique to assault within the second half of the race. Though Bottas believes he would have been within the working for victory had the race performed out, it appears unlikely and, in the end, we’ll by no means know as a Security Automotive interval prompted a pit cease that noticed Mercedes’ night unravel.

Particulars of the disastrous pit cease and what it meant for Russell’s race could be found here, however regardless of a fightback from fifth place to second when racing resumed, Russell’s victory cost was in the end halted by a puncture.

“I really feel for George,” Wolff stated after the race. “We did not need to set expectations excessive and he over-delivered, and over-delivered, and over-delivered all through the weekend.

“He over-delivered on Friday, he over-delivered in qualifying in being just some hundreths away from Valtteri and he over-delivered immediately [in the race].

“His racing was unbelievable. He acquired off the beginning line with one of the best response time in a automobile that is not constructed for him, that’s a lot too small with [steering wheel] paddles that did not match his palms and he acquired into the lead and drove an excellent race, and will have gained twice.

“We learnt that George Russell is somebody to depend on sooner or later. He has all of the potential and all of the elements {that a} future star wants.

“In that respect, I’m unhappy for the end result that he might have had in his first race for Mercedes however on the opposite facet, I’m glad about his efficiency.”

Was it simply the automobile?

With out taking time to understand the above, it is easy to take a look at Russell’s efficiency and assume anybody might have executed it.

These not conversant in Russell’s spectacular junior profession or his expertise behind a wheel can have merely seen a driver who has by no means scored a degree in System One swap groups and go from racing in the back of the grid to the entrance.

However nobody has ever advised the W11 cannot win races in the appropriate palms — it could be ludicrous to take action after the outcomes of the 2020 season — and equally nobody would count on Hamilton to win a Williams. However to recommend any drive would have stepped in and executed in addition to Russell is misguided.

There is a cause why Mercedes has poured cash into Russell’s junior profession and there is a cause he was on the high of the workforce’s record when Hamilton was unavailable. Mercedes has no cause to again drivers for the enjoyable of it, the workforce does it to find the subsequent a number of world champion.

Because of this, Russell’s drive in Bahrain ought to be seen as proof that he has what it takes to be counted among the many easiest within the sport relatively than a measure of anybody else’s expertise. The identical was true of Max Verstappen when he gained on his debut with Pink Bull in 2016 and likewise of Charles Leclerc when he delivered his breakthrough drive for Ferrari in Bahrain final 12 months.

The argument that has adopted on social media is to recommend Russell’s spectacular efficiency in some way devalues Hamilton’s achievements this 12 months. Once more, it is extensive of the mark.

Sure, Russell might show to be a tougher teammate to beat than Bottas if he will get an opportunity to associate Hamilton sooner or later, however the consistency and dominance of Hamilton’s 12 months (and his profession up to now) places his expertise past query.

Having one of the best automobile on the grid doesn’t preclude Hamilton being one of the best driver simply as Russell’s lack of outcomes at Williams doesn’t make him a nasty driver.

It is a disgrace System One’s groups aren’t extra carefully matched throughout the grid, however that is one other story for one more day.

As issues stand, Hamilton is the driving force who has seven world titles to his title and the remainder of the grid are enjoying catch-up.

“I believe Lewis Hamilton wins a lot and so many titles as a result of he’s one of the best driver in one of the best automobile for the time being,” Wolff stated on Sunday. “We’re very humble about it as it isn’t a given we offer him with one of the best automobile and that’s the reason we have now a optimistic affect when the automobile works properly to be a part of his success and a unfavourable affect when it would not work. It is by no means one alone.

“It is by no means the driving force that makes all of the distinction and by no means the automobile that makes all of the distinction, it is a mixture of the 2. Lewis remains to be the benchmark, he is one of the best driver on the market, he has confirmed that along with his a number of data, and we mustn’t be carried away at that stage by an exceptional drive from anew child who has a shiny future in System One.

“Lewis remains to be the benchmark.”

Are Bottas’ days at Mercedes numbered?

The most important query to emerge from Sunday’s race is what all of it means for Mercedes’ future driver line-up.

As issues stand, Russell will enter the final season of a three-year cope with Williams subsequent 12 months and Bottas has a single-year cope with Mercedes. Hamilton is anticipated to remain at Mercedes, however has not but signed a contract and it isn’t clear what number of years he’ll decide to.

Even earlier than Russell’s efficiency in Bahrain, he appeared destined to drive for the world champions in 2022. Mercedes enquired about his availability for 2021 earlier this 12 months, however Williams’ administration on the time — beneath Claire Williams — was seeking to promote the workforce and didn’t need to lose one among its prime property.

Hearsay has it the brand new homeowners, Dorilton Capital, flirted with the concept of changing Russell with Sergio Perez quickly after they took cost, however such tales have been extra simply traced to Perez’s camp than the workforce itself. Nonetheless, with Perez nonetheless in the marketplace for each 2021 and 2022, a ready-made resolution to Russell leaving Williams nonetheless exits.

On Sunday night in Bahrain, Mercedes strategist James Vowles, Williams board member James Matthews and Wolff have been seen in dialog in the midst of the paddock. It isn’t recognized what they have been speaking about, but it surely’s price noting Vowles heads up Mercedes younger driver programme of which Russell remains to be the shining mild.

When the query of changing Bottas with Russell for 2021 was requested on to Wolff on Sunday evening throughout a press convention, he gave the next reply.

“He’s a Williams driver and he’s signed as much as Williams and our drive line-up is Valtteri and Lewis, so I do not see this as a sensible state of affairs at that second of time.

“However I can perceive that it could be an attention-grabbing state of affairs to have them each within the workforce and perhaps a bit of untamed journey for all of us. Possibly it should occur sooner or later.”

It is arduous to think about a state of affairs the place Russell is not provided the drive in 2022, however once more Wolff is unwilling to commit at this stage.

“George has at all times been a Mercedes driver and he is a Williams driver now, and they are often happy with what he is executed immediately.

“Now we might want to see what the longer term holds. To be trustworthy, I have never made up my thoughts what which means for us.”

In fact, Mercedes doesn’t must decide to something simply but. Quite a bit will rely on the length of Hamilton’s subsequent contract and the workforce is secure within the data that it retains Russell on a long-term growth deal that ought to stop rival groups from swooping in.

It now appears to be a case of when and never if Russell will get the decision up, however each time it comes Mercedes now is aware of he is 100% prepared.