2020 Sakhir GP - The great Escape

[Nitrodaze]

The miraculous escape of Grojean from the flame engulfed Haas at the last race, remains the highlight event of this weekend of racing on the outer track of the Bahrain International circuit. The shock of it casts a long shadow into this weekend as Grosjean lay in hospital recovering from burns to his hands. To make things interesting, Seven times driver world champion Lewis Hamilton, is reported to be down with COVID. Hence, he would not be racing this weekend.

While that is a downer for Hamilton fans, these two events has presented excellent opportunities to a number of young drivers. As Haas calls up Brazilian Pietro Fittipaldi to stand in for Grosjean. And Mercedes surmoned their junior driver Russell from Williams to stand in for Hamilton. Which in turn has created an opportunity for Williams reserve driver Jack Aitkins.

Mick Schumacher has also been formally named as teammate to Nikita Mazepin in the Haas from 2021.

George Russell is the first ever Mercedes junior driver to drive the Petronas-Mercedes car in a F1 race. An occurrence that would most certainly not go without notice by Ocon and Wehrlien.

This weekend, George Russell shall be standing on the shoulders of giants. If he can bring the car home in the points, it shall be an experience he shall cherish for a long time to come.



Now we have two new rookies on the grid and an opportunity to have a preview of what Russell can do with a Mercedes under race conditions. And how strong is Latifi who plays the role of lead driver at this race in comparison to the Williams reserve driver Aitkins.

This is a very important weekend where current drivers with juniors in the other car must perform at their best to ensure the juniors are behind. So Bottas would be hoping for a well behaved Russell as he looks to recover from his last two bad races, to secure 2nd in the driver's championship. Hence, l wonder if Mercedes would let Russell race Bottas hard. Which is what l want to see really. Can he win the race on this very golden opportunity. As such a feat would more than certainly be positively formative to his future career with Mercedes. If Bottas lose this race to Russell and loses 2nd in the driver championship to Verstapenn, the Vandoorne effect may well kick in.

Whatever the case, we would get to see this truly gifted F2 champion at his very best this weekend, if he can make it through the first corner trouble free.


In the meantime, let us wish Hamilton a speedy recovery. The job is done, he could sit out the rest of the season if he really wanted to.