Formula One: George Russell replaces Lewis Hamilton for Mercedes in Sakhir GP

Britain’s George Russell will replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes for the coming Sakhir Grand Prix.

Mercedes took the decision after Lewis Hamilton tested positive for COVID-19.

Jack Aitken, a 25-year-old British Korean, will race in Russell’s place.

Once Hamilton’s absence from the first race of his career was confirmed after a positive Covid-19 test and retest, Mercedes approached Williams to see if a deal to release Russell was possible.

They eventually came to an arrangement, with Williams releasing Russell to drive the Silver Arrows alongside Valtteri Bottas in the penultimate round.

“Firstly, I want to say a huge thank you to everybody at Williams for giving me this opportunity. I might be wearing a different race suit this weekend, but I’m a Williams driver and I’ll be cheering my team on every step of the way.

“I see this as a great chance to learn from the best outfit on the grid right now and to come back as an improved driver, with even more energy and experience to help push Williams further up the grid. A big thank you also to Mercedes for putting their faith in me.

“Obviously, nobody can replace Lewis, but I’ll give my all for the team in his absence from the moment I step in the car. Most importantly, I wish him a speedy recovery. I’m really looking forward to the opportunity and can’t wait to get out on track this week,” Russell said.