Official: Lewis Hamilton returns to Abu Dhabi
After ten days of quarantine, Lewis Hamilton is negative for Covid-19 again and will therefore be able to return to his seat while George Russell is back with Williams.
Just yesterday, Mercedes wasn’t sure if Lewis Hamilton would be able to make his return this weekend. Today, George Russell showed up in the Yas Marina paddock wearing the Mercedes t-shirt.
But ultimately, the seven-time world champion will indeed make his return for the last Grand Prix of the season, following the announcement by the FIA that the driver had completed a ten-day quarantine in Bahrain and that all his tests are now negative. He was thus able to take a private jet to the capital of the United Arab Emirates and is once again authorized to enter the paddock.
The big loser of the operation is obviously George Russell, who will not have the opportunity to contend for victory once again and will have to return to Williams, as will be the case again next year. He will therefore not be able to overshadow the massive disappointment caused by the chaotic pit stop at Mercedes. However, the stellar performance of the young Briton might have given his senior a reason for concern, as it’s never good to leave a spot open and let a rival shine in your place. Paradoxically, this is good news for Valtteri Bottas: it’s better to be outclassed by a seven-time world champion than by a young driver awkwardly sitting in a car he’s discovering at the last minute.
As for Jack Aitken, he preferred to use humor by asking Stoffel Vandoorne, who was sidelined despite being the official reserve driver, if he had an extra Playstation controller…
