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Premature as it might be, George Russell’s Pirelli test in a Mercedes Formula 1 mule car in Hungary on Tuesday feels like an early reunion.
It puts Russell back in the role that set him on the path to a Mercedes seat in the first place. And if – if – this is a precursor to Russell’s Mercedes future then the Hungaroring is a fitting place for it.
It was there that Russell had his first full F1 test, with Mercedes, in 2017. And he tested there again, with Mercedes, in 2018 – setting the unofficial lap record during a break from his title-winning Formula 2 season.
The 2018 test was just as Russell was building momentum in F2. Russell said the job he was doing was putting pressure on Mercedes boss Toto Wolff to find him a place in F1.
Back-to-back titles in GP3 and F2 were at the centre of Russell’s case but increasingly impressive test outings, where his speed, consistency and maturity were all noted by Mercedes – for whom Russell was also acting as a reserve and development driver in 2018.
That year was about more than just getting Russell to F1 though. It was key to Russell creating the foundations of the Mercedes relationship he has now.
A few months after his 2018 test, Russell would be confirmed as a 2019 F1 driver with Mercedes customer Williams. During his rookie F1 season he would continue to test for Mercedes as well, driving in Bahrain and at the end of the year in Abu Dhabi.
Back then, in such Mercedes test outings, Russell was trying to prove he was quick, smart, adaptable, and dependable enough to complete the work Mercedes needed him to. Now those qualities are well-established.
So, while the job is almost identical today – do what Mercedes needs him to, don’t try to be a hero – on a personal level it is totally different.
Here we go, George Russell in the 2022 tyre test today at the Hungaroring 👀
📸 @pirellisport pic.twitter.com/QEdnoOOuAo
— The Race (@wearetherace) August 3, 2021
At this point there’s surely nothing for Russell to do to win Mercedes over. And there’s nothing Mercedes will learn from this test about Russell that it doesn’t know.
This is all about conducting Pirelli’s work for its 2022 tyres. But it will help Russell with the team next year – Hamilton has experience of the Mercedes mule car and 2022 tyres and now so does Russell.
Mercedes originally had three 2022 tyre test days planned: one each at Imola, Paul Ricard and the Hungaroring. Hamilton and Bottas completed the first but Mercedes withdrew from the second.
Maybe Valtteri Bottas wasn’t available for this one, maybe Russell was scheduled to have it all along so Mercedes could split the initial planned workload evenly. He has been a very useful testing option before.
However, he was never previously in with a chance of racing for the team the next season when he did those tests.
That’s why it is tough to imagine that him conducting 2022 work, right when a decision is expected on Mercedes’ 2022 driver line-up, is simply coincidence.
