Formula 1: Ranking the chances of the 4 primary Mercedes candidates for 2020

By Asher Fair | Apr 11, 2019

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 17: Race winner Valtteri Bottas of Finland and Mercedes GP and third placed Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing celebrate on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit on March 17, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) /

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BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN – MARCH 29: George Russell of Great Britain driving the (63) Rokit Williams Racing FW42 Mercedes (Photo by Charles Coates/Getty Images) /

No. 63. ROKiT Williams Racing, Mercedes. GEORGE RUSSELL. #4.

George Russell is in his first season competing in Formula 1, and he is driving for Williams Racing, the undisputed slowest team on the grid. As a result, it will be tough for him to prove that he deserves a ride with the top-tier factory Mercedes team when all he can pretty much do is beat teammate Robert Kubica.

While Mercedes knew this going into the season and Williams’ pace certainly should not be used against Russell in any way, it is hard to see Mercedes promoting him to the factory team after just one season driving for a snail-paced team when all of the other candidates are not only far more experienced than the 2017 GP3 Series champion and 2018 Formula 2 champion is but far more proven in Formula 1 as well.

Russell can certainly prove his worth by consistently beating Kubica, and by beating him soundly like he has done in the season’s first two races, but it likely will not be enough to warrant a promotion to Mercedes after just one season.

In terms of Russell driving for Mercedes, the 2021 season is a more realistic possible first season for him to do so. In fact, after the 2017 season ended, Lewis Hamilton himself tabbed the 21-year-old Briton as his potential replacement assuming he leaves the Silver Arrows after the 2020 season.

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